The Breaching Rays of Dimming Days
by NightKrawler88
Summary: The REAL sequel to A Beacon of Hope in a Castle of Ice. Team RWBY's vacation is over, now they resume their ongoing adventures that start with the Vytal Festival. What awaits the team of couples? How much progress has been made thanks to their days of training? Only time will tell.
1. Chapter 1

_So, I'm not dead. Not yet at least._

 _First off, let me address the obvious elephant in the room._

 _"Why are you starting this when you have an incomplete BoH2!? You bastard!"_

 _Well, after going to RTX (was amazing) and meeting so many wonderful people such as MurderofBirds, Miles, Kara, Elizabeth (Winter) I came to terms with the fact that some things aren't worth doing if your passion for them is diminishing._

 _I love RWBY, I love the fandom, but my little "Season 2.5" experiment was just that, an experiment that I used to continue writing, and failed to upkeep. It's embarrassing to admit, but I would like ot think I'm not the first author this has happened to. Now, I will say that BoH2 events are 'canon' on this fic still and will be referenced as well as a couple of other mentions that will possibly fill in the last couple of days that would be missing._

 _On top of that, I will say that Shun WAS faking her amnesia , as for how that came to light will be mentioned in another chapter. Possibly the next one._

 _Weiss' prize for winning the bet is mentioned in this chapter as well, so for some of you who have been wondering, don't worry about that._

 _Also, my passion for writing was restored big time after spending time with a group of Fanfiction writers like myself, although this group is most likely ten times more prestigious than me (If that's the right word)._

Not sure if they'll be mad that I gave them a shoutout without their consent, but fuck it. Since when do I give two shits about what other people think, right?

Damn it's good to be an asshole still.

Anyway, the writers I met were Legion 205, authors of the RWBY Fanfic "Room 205"

I'm not sure of this is all of them, but off the top of my head are the names I can recall.

 **NobleMETA**

 **AngelSixTwoFive**

 **GhostPhoenix113**

 **TheDarkenedRose**

 **Phoenix Commander**

 **TotoTail**

 **SylverLining**

These guys are amazing, and if you haven't read Room 205, I would highly prefer if you give it a chance. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites, although **The Blackening Rose** will always be in my top 3 for sure.

Well . . . Not sure what else to say, I'm sorry for my silence and disappearance. A lot of it was mild depression and personal issues that I refuse to drag around and relay to all of you, but out of respect for the people I write for I should have given some sort of message saying that I'll be slowing down.

Alright, mushy stuff over . . . All of you can go fuck yourselves with Pyrrha's Poles of Polarity!

I hope I'm welcomed back with open arms.

* * *

 ** _POV: RUBY ROSE_**

 ** _Chapter 1 - The Final Introduction_**

I haven't been here in awhile. The large snow-peak that I remember is replaced with the beautiful red leaves and petals of the autumn weather. The faint traces of skin-tickling winds make my bangs dance in one direction before settling back down to their default position. The last time I was here was during the snowy season, but now the rich colors of plantlife have given this place a much-needed touch of radiance. It helps lift the depressing emotions when I come.

"Umm . . . Hey, Mom. It's umm . . . well, it's been a while hasn't it? Things have been pretty busy. Oh, Yang's here too. She's y'know . . .Yang. I got into Beacon and everything's been amazing. Yang's there too! Neither of us have gotten kicked out yet . . . Thankfully I keep Yang in line. That was a joke

Weiss and Blake are doing good too. Oh, they're on my team. I'm the awesome leader of Team RWBY . . . Yes, that does cause a lot of confusion, heheh.

I've made new friends, lots of a new friends, actually. Blake, Jaune, Ren, Nora. Pyrrha are just a few of them, but there's someone I've been wanting you to meet for a while now. Dad already met her and so has Uncle Qrow. I know you'll love her . . . just like I do."

I stare at the grave in front of me. Deep in the back of my mind I'm pleading for a response despite knowing that is near impossible. My focused stare is broken when three fingers touch my shoulder to bring me back into the present.

"R-right . . . Mom, this is Weiss." I reach over my shoulder to grasp Weiss' digits and bring my girlfriend next to me. "She's my best friend, tutor, partner, and girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Rose." Weiss speaks up to my surprise. In a situation like this I would have expected her to stay quiet and let me 'do Ruby things' as she would put it. To have her join me in talking to an inanimate object is slightly out of character for her . . . but at the same time it's also exactly how she is with me. As time goes on she makes it a point to at least learn of my hobbies and likes. I think that's something I need to do in return as well.

"I'll take good care of your daughter. You have my word as a Schnee." While Weiss speaks she slides her arm around my waist in a mildly aggressive and possessive manner. Ever since the events at her house she's been a little edgier than normal. She's practically bordering her old Ice Queen mentality along with being the sweet and affectionate Weiss that's peaked out of her outer shell.

"Oh! Yang has someone special too . . . and this one's lasted more than a month!" I shout.

"I heard that, Rubes!"

A couple of meters away is Yang, resting on one of the many branches that house the reddest of red leaves. In her arms is Blake, but Blake makes no comment to either myself or Yang and instead chooses to remain cuddled up to her girlfriend.

At Weiss' house I saw a completely different side of Blake. Apparently Shun pulled a prank on Yang and Blake which went a little too far . . . for the next eight hours or so she ran for her life to avoid the angry cat Faunus and my flaming sister who practically ignited the carpet of the Manor when she was trying to chase down the Cheetah Faunus.

Shun was forced to leave early with the help of Uncle Qrow. Whatever she did had Yang and Blake completely silent through dinner, and breakfast the following morning. They spent their time next to each other and doing cutesy things like feeding each other and holding each other's hand wherever they went. I've never seen either of them that way, but it was really cute.

"Ruby, I think we should go . . . the tournament starts in a couple of hours. We still need to test one more dust type with Crescent Rose . . . plus I need to stop in Vale for something as well." Weiss pulls my head onto her shoulder. She's wearing her usual heels, so our slight height difference is expanded by another two inches or so, making it easy for my head to tilt and rest on her.

"Yeah." I nod my head, then lower down to a knee to get as close to the gravestone as possible. "It was nice talking with you, Mom. Wish me luck in the tournament! It was good to talk"

I didn't get to know my mother much. I'm not sure if I should consider that a blessing or a curse. If I knew her more would it have been harder for me to deal with it? I lost her at an age where I didn't really understand death, I just understood the fact that she wasn't coming back to tuck me in at night, or make me her cookies, or kiss my hurts away. All of that was gone, but Yang, Dad, and Uncle Qrow were always there for me. I had people to help me cope.

Weiss takes a step forward and places a hand on top of the gravestone. I look up to her and notice that her eyes are closed. I figure she's offering a small prayer and take the time to do the same. When both of us are done I move to my feet and begin to follow Weiss back through the small forest towards the large clearing that we were left at.

"We're done, you two. Let's get moving." Weiss shouts ass we pass by the tree Yang and Blake are relaxing in.

"Sucks you two couldn't meet her . . . Summer was a super mom." Yang calls down while Blake takes the chance to drop down first with Yang following once a landing point is cleared off.

"She'll always be a super mom, Yang." Blake corrects. I wish I could say there are millions and millions of awesome memories I have of my mom . . . but my time with her was pretty limited. I want to help people just like she did. I know that'll make her proud.

Shortly after I feel a couple of fingers dig into my shoulder. I assume it to be Weiss, but when I'm pulled backwards and see Weiss is still walking in front of me I turn my head to see that it wasn't Weiss, but Blake instead.

"Blake?" I question the Faunus girl who stares into my eyes with that predatory gaze she has.

"You don't have to do that, Ruby."

"Huh? What am I-"

"There's nothing you could do."

"Blake, what are you talking about?" I try to hide it, but her words just opened up a valve of emotions that begin to run through my body. A simple sentence brings me to the realization that this is something I'll never get over. Not for a long time, at least.

"It's not your fault." Another dagger shoves itself into me.

"Blake, that's not helping me . . ."

"It's not your fault."

"Blake, what are you doing?" Yang questions, but Weiss is quick to call Yang and make my sister leave me and Blake alone for a few moments.

"You don't need to shoulder your emotions, Ruby. You've always been easy to read . . . It wasn't your fault."

A simple phrase that can be used in any situation practically rips my heart open and slowly brings me to tears. What starts as a sniffle eventually evolves into a low whine that grows louder the more I try to hold it back.

"This is the place to let it out. Let's head back with your emotions relieved." Blake whispers while holding me to her shoulder. Her left arm is wrapped around my waist to keep me close while her right hand gently caresses the back of my head, making it easy for me to keep myself muffled against her shirt.

"You've grown up to be a polite, kind, and helpful young lady. I doubt a mother could ask for anything more. You've gotten through the tough years wonderfully. From here on out it's just a matter of remembering your roots." Blake speaks up after a couple minutes when my whines lower to sobs and then back to sniffles.

"Don't do that again, please . . ." I mumble when I finally gather myself.

"Don't make me have to. Next time just talk about whatever memories you have to Weiss . . . I'm sure she'll be happy to hear about your mom." Blake helps me stand upright before leading me in the direction of Weiss and Yang.

"I know Weiss would listen, but . . . I don't know, I feel like there's still a little bit of awkwardness between us. I'd feel weird just talking about my family for hours just for her not to share anything about hers . . . Am I wrong to think that way?"

"I'd say so . . . although I may just be a bit bias." Blake answers without hesitation. "I haven't told Yang a thing about my family, but I'm more than happy to hear her stories with her father and uncle. It makes me feel closer to her and to them as well."

"Ugh . . . why do you need to make so much sense?" Ruby groans before we get into earshot of Weiss and Yang. Surprisingly the airship isn't here yet, which is pretty odd since it's practically circling the area, waiting to be called to pick us up.

"About time you two got here." Weiss announces with slight annoyance, yet also has a smile on her face. "Ruby, would you mind calling the airship?"

 _That's right . . . Of course she'd wait to make me do it._

"Weiss, I don't feel comfortable doing that. I don't want your dad hating me more than he already does." I protest.

"Ruby Rose, I did not jump into a bet between your uncle and my father for you to turn down what was agreed upon if I win. Your scroll has access to all the Schnee utilities that I do, and your credit card will be at Beacon by the time we're done with our first match. Father hates everyone to a degree, he'll get over his emotions on his own time."

 _Yeah . . . there's no arguing my way out of this._

I nod my head and accept my defeat. I take a moment to fish into my pocket for my scroll. Under a completely separate list of contacts are all of the Schnee utilities that Weiss has access to. Ranging from speedy dust deliveries to transportation, and even a personal brigade of seven bodyguards that remain scattered throughout Vale. Those seven take care of any shopping requests and local deliveries that Weiss may have. I continue to scroll through the contact list until I find the 'personal transport' contact and quickly start the call.

"ETA 30 seconds, Miss Rose." Comes a voice from the scroll the moment it's answered.

"R-Ruby's just fine!" I answer back before hanging up. As expected, the airship is above us in no more than fifteen seconds and is settled on the ground within another ten.

Once it touches the ground we all board and disappear into two separate booths out of the four that are available. Yang and Blake go their own way while me and Weiss head into our own. Just like the airship that brought us to her Mansion, this one has the same setup with wooden bunkbeds that come out of the wall with pearly white bedsheets coating them.

Weiss is the first to take a seat. She stands with her back towards the beds, carefully smoothens out her skirt, and finally seats herself at the edge of the bed. The moment she's seated, she pats her lap for me to join her.

I decide to have a little bit of fun and make an attempt to jump onto her lap for a satisfying impact, but mid-fall I feel something catch and hold me in mid-air. I look to Weiss to see that both of her hands are in view and not the cause of stopping me, but I take note of a small glyph being displayed on her left hand that is pointed directly at my torso. I follow the direction of her palm, only to see one of her glyphs wrapped around my torso. I shift my gaze to Weiss who looks at me with complete amusement while I remain suspended in air.

"Weiss! Put me down!" I plead, but she denies my request and chooses to begin twirling me like a baton.

"I don't appreciate you trying to break my lap. Besides, you have some explaining to do." Weiss says in one of her more serious tones.

"What I do?" I whine, trying to focus on Weiss while she continues to spin in my perspective thanks to constantly being flipped right-side up and upside down.

"I've been very open and understanding towards you, haven't I?" Weiss asks. For the moment she stops twirling me but when she stops she leaves me upside down, making my combat skirt fall and reveal the black underskirt along with minor sightings of the red underwear beneath.

"Umm, yeah? . . . Where is this going?" I ask, realizing the question may be a trap in its own right.

"I guess it's my own fault for not prodding earlier, but I don't appreciate the fact that you'd let your emotions stack up to the point that Blake was able to draw them out with a few simple words. I'm always here to listen to you. To see Blake take an initiative I imagined you'd take on your own with me left me a little . . ."

Weiss sighs and waves her other hand dismissively. I play around with a couple of words in my head, finding one that may end the sentence properly. The moment my mind grasps the word I find myself blurting it out rather than keeping it to myself like I intended.

"Jealous?"

I wish I had the sense to keep that one word to myself. The look of shock, then rage in Weiss' eyes makes me cower under my cape.

"J-jealous!? W-Why would I **ever** be jealous of _**Blake**_?" Weiss almost shouts but manages to keep her voice leveled. "Ruby, it's not jealousy. It's more the fact that you had all these emotions bottled up and didn't come to me. I know I don't like it when you prod about my family so I avoid doing the same to you, but if you're suffering from anything emotionally I'd rather you come to me than someone else force those emotions out of you."

"I didn't want to bother you with that, Weiss. They were just silly thoughts . . ." I defend then hold my arms out so hopefully she'll acknowledge my gesture and bring me in for a hug.

"I don't care if they're the silliest thoughts in the world. If you're hurt, you tell me about it. I'm not going to laugh or dismiss your feelings." Weiss answers back immediately. In response to my extended arms she places her hands on my cheeks and pulls me towards her, still using the glyph to hold me in the air.

"I'm not Blake . . . I can't decide to force your emotions out just from a glance . . . Our relationship is different than the friendship and understanding Blake has towards you. It's safe to say that I can possibly bring up certain things to Yang that Blake hasn't even spoken about with her, but that's how relationships are I assume. We walk on eggshells and respect certain boundaries despite the fact that we've torn down countless other walls between each other. I don't want anything to be kept from each other, got it?"

 _She's always so sweet, but expresses it in the wierdest way . . . 'Heiress' Weiss will always control her way of talking, but that's one of the things I love about her._

"Only if I get a kiss to seal the deal." I counter while I look into the eyes of upside down Weiss.

Obviously she poses no objection to it, but decides to keep me held by her glyph instead of tilting me right-side up. Within seconds she's within my breathing space, gazing into my eyes, building up painful suspense to the simple lip-to-lip contact I've grown addicted to.

Her snow white hair cascades down her shoulders while her bangs rest partially over one of her eyes. I love when Weiss lets her hair down. It makes something so simple look stunning, beautiful, and unique.

"I don't know what I'll do with you sometimes." Weiss mutters before meeting my lips with a gentle press of hers. It's a little weird to kiss her while upside down, but it makes things a little easier since both of us have a tendency to favor kissing the lower lip, and thanks to having me upside down it makes both of us able to do that without having to switch every once in awhile.

The longer our kiss progresses, the more I feel myself begin to drift lower and lower from Weiss' lips until the top of my head touches her lap. I make an attempt to curl up my body, finding out that her glyph is offering diminishing resistance to me which makes it easy for me to lay myself on her lap just before her glyph disappears.

"Weiss?" I whisper her name after our kiss ends. My arms wrap around her neck, allowing me to keep my head nestled against her breasts while she cradles me against her body.

"Hm?"

"Why did you fall in love with me?" I ask. I make sure to meet the look of shock she gives with one of love and adoration to disarm any misunderstandings the question may have caused.

"The correction word is **how** , not why. Anyway, I couldn't tell you. It wasn't love at first sight, but everything you've done for me began to pile up. Before I knew it I realized that I had a true friend who let me into her life despite the cold demeanor I'm known for. I'll need to think about that to give you a better answer . . . but I promise you I'll have a more well-organized answer soon. Why do you ask?"

"I dunno . . . I'm trying to think how feelings work and stuff . . . I mean, you've met my dad and Uncle Qrow. Now you gave me a thingy that makes me 'Weiss 2'. I guess-"

"That 'thingy' isn't for you to be 'Weiss 2', Ruby. It's my way of welcoming you to my family . . . You and your family consider me a Rose. Well Winter and I consider you a Schnee. Father will come to terms with it in time." Weiss whispers to me, but seconds later she raises her voice to her usual stern tone. "However, don't think I will be giving Yang the same treatment . . . she's not responsible enough to handle those courtesies."

 _She's not wrong._

I nod my head at Weiss and decide to bring up an old question from when we were back at my house. I'm sure it'll have her flustered or angry, but messing with Weiss is always fun in moderation.

"So . . . is it going to be Ruby Schnee or Weiss Rose?"


	2. The Cat with a Healthy Curiosity

_So, here's chapter 2. It's out way earlier than I figured, but I think starting off with lower word counts for now my be._

 _I got a decent amount of reviews for the first chapter, so that also made me speed up a bit. So please keep reviewing so I can get my content out faster...I know, it sounds completely unrelated, but seeing and reading reviews motivates me! . . . That doesn't mean just leave something shitty like 'keep up the good work' give me a synopsis damnit._

 _Also, I missed a couple if Legion Two-Oh-Five members (references, heh.) in my last shoutout, so let me fix that by finishing the list._

 _ **BurningPeace**_

 _ **Lymle300-2**_

 _ **Jefardi**_

 _ **MartunaMajor**_

 _ **Shadow Nightblade**_

 _(. . . I know I didn't meet all of these guys [or gals] . . . I'm too lazy to look into who I did and did not meet x.x)_

 _Also not sure if I should put my own name there...I'm an_ _ **honorary**_ _member, but I'm not sure how long that lasts (probably like an hour after leaving Texas)...I'm gonna bother Noble about it. Not like I have anything better to do._

 _So, that's that. After this chapter goes up I'm going to be streaming Fallout 4. I'm doing a sniper character with Dogmeat as the main companion . . . take a guess who it's based off of._

 _Twitch: **Jorge10466**_

 _Anyway, I'll stop boring the people who actually take the time to read these. Also, I've gone back to putting the POV tags at the top as per majority request . . . I guess some people don't like to think things out . . . Lazy bastards._

 _On a separate note . . .I'm still getting people favoriting BoH 1 . . . like damn, is that thing becoming an old legacy fic now?_

 _Here's Chapter 2:_

* * *

 _ **POV: Blake Belladonna**_

 _ **Chapter 2 - The Cat with a Healthy Curiosity**_

"So, what was that all about?"

It's not surprising to hear that as the first words from Yang when we're alone. She's terrible at respecting a private moment.

"Just making sure Little Red is alright. Weiss respects Ruby's boundaries too much to prod or force something into light. I just did what she's too cautious to do." I explain.

I'm already laying down on the top mattress. Yang is sitting on the bed below me while we talk. Our 'vacation' - if you could even call it that - wasn't as ideal as either of us would've preferred. Being in the home of the Schnee's was not too bad since I kept my bow on at all times, but Yang's ex managed to ignite a fire in me I didn't think was possible.

The morning after she was placed on Sebastian's care for her injuries she supposedly had amnesia. Well, after playing along with the fact that fractions of her memory were lost, she slipped up and referred to my rear as 'The Bellabooty'. Something only Teams RWBY and JNPR are familiar with.

At that moment Yang and I both began chasing down the Cheetah Faunus with ill intent. Portions of the Manor were burned thanks to Yang's aura, while some pictures were ruined thanks to some minor bulletstorms from Gambol Shroud. I think it's safe to say I won't be forgiving her until she takes a full-power knee from me, on top of Yang's right cross.

"Glad to know on top of well . . . being you, you're also good with Rubes. I think she needs some more people she can talk to. Although she doesn't really tell me much . . . maybe I **should** stop teasing her so much." There's a long pause from Yang, but soon enough she bursts out into laughter at her own suggestion. "Psh! As if. I wouldn't be the greatest sister ever if I stopped teasing her."

"You'll never change, will you?" I ask. I crawl towards the edge of the bed so I can lean over and look down at Yang who is directly below me. The beautiful blonde looks up to me with her adorable lilac eyes that are accompanied by a sweet smile that is unaffected by the annoyance that dripped from my lips earlier.

"Why would I change? Then I wouldn't be the girl you started dating." She counters.

"Well, it would help one of your many flaws." I counter back. This time Yang's smile disappears and that usual confidence of her fades. It's so easy to toy with her. I almost feel bad when I do it. Almost.

"I mean . . . my thing is teasing Ruby . . . she'd think I was sick if I listened to her seriously on every little thing." Yang defends, revealing that she's taking my words to heart as she always does.

"Well, being a little more consider for Ruby would help a lot. Trimming a little for me would be appreciated, too." I smirk, watching Yang shrink into a shell of insecurities. I still find it odd that someone of Yang's confidence and nature could be insecure about her body.

"I . . . I trimmed before we went to Atlas . . . I just - It grows fast." She whimers and whines. The relaxed posture she had is replaced with something more bashful and cute. Her right leg is crossed over her left, her fingers are interlaced while her hands remain firmly planted on her lap, assisting in covering her groin. I may have went a little too far this time around, but Yang'll forgive me. She can't hold a grudge when it comes to my teases, even if she wants to.

"Oh really? Catch." When I say the last word I turn myself parallel to the edge of the bed. Without an ounce of hesitation I roll off, confident that Yang wouldn't let me hit the floor.

As expected I'm caught by her strong arms and pulled onto her lap. I take the chance to wrap my arms around her waist and accommodate my head onto her chest. She doesn't voice any complaints, but I can still feel her legs crossed underneath me which lets me know her insecurities have the best of her for the moment.

"You make it too easy to tease you, Yang. You know I like you as you are." I whisper to her.

"I know . . . I jus-"

"Despite the hairballs." I cut in. My quick remark has Yang glaring down at me with complete unamusement while I snicker into her bust.

"Blake! That's not funny!" She shouts.

"Come on, Yang. Do you really think that'll bother me? I did say it's a cute color to go with pink." As I speak I progressively get lower in terms of volume while one of my hands begins to traverse lower on Yang's torso. "Besides . . ."

While one hand drifts lower and my voice is at a near whisper, I begin to inch my way up to get my lips along Yang's shoulder prior to tracing them up her neck to end at her ear.

". . . a little hair in exchange for a good taste is definitely worth it." I whisper into her ear. At the same time my hand reaches the end of it's path and stops over a warm spot on her shorts.

Her body stiffens in response to my whispers and wandering caress. I'm genuinely surprised she's lasted this long in terms of sanity. She has a high drive, and all I do is constantly tease and torture her self-control. What makes it worse is that I enjoy watching her get flustered, so each subsequent attempt I end up taking it a little further than the last. She's bound to blow soon and knowing that, I plan to tone it down until after the tournament. The last thing I need is not being able to walk during a fight.

"Blake, you're _really_ not helping." Yang says with a nervous chuckle.

"I'm not? I guess I'm losing my touch. Maybe a little bit of-" A wicked grin takes over when I angle myself to take a firm nip at Yang's earlobe, followed by a series of playful tugs that are answered with a bodywide quiver.

Before she can offer another complaint I make a point to push her onto her back so I can re-adjust myself to lay on top of her. I make use of my forearms to keep her pinned by the arms and helpless to my assault on her ear that then drifts down to her neck, but with my bites getting a tad rougher from learning about her masochistic side.

"Did I do it right this time?" I ask after I'm satisfied with Yang's uncontrollable squirms and whimpers.

"You did it too right . . . I need to cool off." Yang mutters with mild annoyance. I decide to give her the break she desires by rolling off of her so she can stand. I get a mild surprise when I see her walk to the door and leave, but dismiss it as her needing a bathroom break or something along those lines.

For the next five minutes or so I'm left alone in complete silence. I could make an attempt to turn on the projector and search for something to watch, but I'm much more comfortable with sitting still and waiting for Yang to return. Thankfully she doesn't keep me waiting long and comes back with a glass of milk in one hand, and a can of Monster in the other.

"So that's where you went. I assume the Monster's for me?" I ask, getting an annoyed look from her before she offers me the glass of milk.

"You thought. This'll get my mind off of what **you** did to me. Best way to calm down." She answers, but that logic soars right over my head.

"So . . . an **energy drink** to calm down? That seems a little . . . dumb." I finish with lack of a better word. I reach out and take the frozen glass from Yang, realizing how cold the milk inside must be close to bordering freezing temperatures.

Without wasting time I bring the ice-cold glass to my lips and take a small sip. The way the calcium-rich liquid feels when it brushes over my teeth and tongue is savory. The only sensation that could rival it is when I finally swallow. The cold, almost freezerburn feeling that touches the back of my throat sends a shiver through my spine. It's been a long time since I had such a perfect glass of milk. The only thing that could make it better is if I could lay back with my favorite super heater.

"Good glass, huh?" Yang comments before sitting down at the edge of the bed to my right. She gets herself comfortable with both of her legs on the bed and her back against the wall.

Looking at her position now and then down to my glass of milk reminds me of a scenario from long ago a little too vividly. The dejavu gets to a point where I feel the urge to relive the past. Before Yang can open her drink I take it from her and place it on the floor. She offers a couple of groans but I ignore them and proceed to reinvent an old spark from the past.

"Blake? What are you doing?" Yang questions while I push her legs apart to seat myself between them. Once I'm settled I place my back against her and use her shoulder as my pillow while I drink from the glass.

"Just relaxing . . . Sorry about earlier. Want some milk as a peace offering?" I ask while I continue to drink, getting it down to an amount that I can drink without needing to swallow.

"Actually," Yang begins, but before she continues she snatches the glass from me, "I would love some."

I sit there in shock that she just took my drink and finishes it right in front of me without hesitation. Thinking back to what happened way back in Beacon, I find myself staring at her neck, waiting to see if she actually swallows my drink. After a few seconds of intense staring I realize that she's pulling the same trick I did that day, practically mocking me for trying to get her with it a second time.

"Nice try, Yang. I want my milk back." I state with a sultry drop to my tone. I twist my torso so I can face her a little more comfortably. My hands move to her shoulders, dancing over the brown fabric of her top as well as her golden locks of hair. With high expectations of sharing a twist on our first kiss, I close my eyes and begin to lean in with puckered lips and a rising heartbeat. However, my expectations are shattered when I hear Yang speak . . . meaning she took the chance to swallow when I stopped paying attention.

"Can't have that back unless you get into my belly, somehow." She snickers and reaches down for her opened can of Monster.

"Yang, you're the worst." I pout while she happily sips her drink and sets it back down on the ground. "You knew what I was going for. The least you could do is humor me a little bit. When was the last time we even had one of those kiss-"

For once Yang outsmarts me.

She takes the chance to yank me to her while I'm busy ranting so she can smash our lips together in her typical, aggressive fashion. The way she outsmarts me however, is when our lips connect I get the instant taste of cold milk. The only thing I can imagine is the fact that it took her so long to get two simple things is because she took the chance to chug her Monster, wash the can, then fill it with milk to pull the stunt she just did.

The moment our lips connect and the taste coats my tongue, I slouch into her embrace. The pure elation of having her go to such an extent to toy with me along with thinking further ahead of me to set up our first kiss with her own little counter-attack reminds me of how romantic she can be when she wants to.

With her head angled above mine, I eagerly take all of the drink she offers and take the step further to lap at her lips, teeth and tongue to clean any remaining residue. Once I'm done and satisfied, she continues her attack by invading my lips with her wet muscle. The patience and restraint she was showing earlier is replaced with her typical Yang mentality. Her arms tighten around my torso, her aura flares and drenches me in its warmth, and her legs accompany her arms by wrapping around my torso as well to forbid any escape attempt I could muster.

Being in Yang's vice has always been a double-edged sword. She offers one of the most secure embraces I can think of, but at the same time she doesn't realize just how strong she is and risks breaking my ribs when she holds me in certain situations. I wonder if Ren has to deal with the same thing from Nora. I lose my thoughts to the enjoyment of Yang's kisses and the pain of her body-viceing embrace. Both of those feelings take such a hold on my thoughts that I forget about one important thing: The necessity of breathing.

I'm reminded of this simple necessity when my lungs begin to ache and burn while I am still in an air-tight liplock with Yang. The light squirms I offered earlier due to the minor discomfort of her embrace now evolve into desperate, violent flails and lashes for her to understand that this is no longer a struggle of discomfort from her teases, but a struggle for survival.

With how frantic my struggles get, Yang eventually decides to pull her tongue out of my lips. The deep, desperate inhale I take to bless my lungs with sweet, sweet oxygen leaves Yang snickering at the fact that she left me completely breathless. She also acknowledges the fact that her embrace isn't helping me breathe any easier and chooses to let me out of her grip.

Without hesitation I roll out of her grip and onto the floor so I can stand upright and let my body regulate. The second I stand upright I feel my legs go weak for a couple of seconds, confirming how little air I had going to my brain.

"I need . . . a breather." I say between pants.

Yang looks at me with that smug look of hers while I walk out of the booth, panting, weak-legged and glassy-eyed all at the same time. While I could say that it is from her nearly suffocating me to death, a decent amount of my visible fatigue is from the fact that her kisses truly take a lot out of me. It's one of the reasons I tend to dictate the pace with her. Yang's a talent and a half when it comes to physical affections, something I lack a lot of experience with. Although I tend to have better ideas for dates and the ability to set up a romantic setting while she's incapable of such a thing.

While I'm away from Yang I figure it may be a good idea to check on Weiss and Little Red to see what they're up to. I turn right and walk by the two empty booths before I finally stop in front of theirs. I don't bother knocking and decide to crack the door to see what kind of cutesy thing the younger couple are up to. When I peek inside however, I'm exposed to something slightly different than what I was expecting.

Weiss appears to be beyond annoyed and has gone to the extent of holding Ruby upside-down with a glyph. Little Red on the other hand is partially blinded by her own cape while her skirt is taken by gravity, leaving whatever is underneath to be shown to Weiss (and myself).

"We went through this at your house, Dolt. I don't appreciate those comments . . . but if we were to follow tradition, I would say you'd take my surname." Weiss states with a roll of her eyes.

"But Weiss Rose sounds so much cuter!" Ruby protests.

"If you want to argue about this, let's make a game out of it. Something both of us can enjoy, but something that won't end so easily." Weiss says while she twirls Ruby in the glyph.

"I'm fine with games, but you need to put me down first!"

"Hmmm . . . Perhaps in a bit."

"But, but! Princess!"

"Pet names will not get you out of this, Dolt." Weiss shouts with her stern, heiress-like tone

"Can I at least get flipped over? I don't want to keep holding my skirt down."

"I'm enjoying the view too much . . . Anyway, here's the bet:" My ears twitch as I listen in to hear what their arrangement is going to be, but before I can eavesdrop on it a whisper in my ear startles me.

"So, whatcha listening to, Kittycat?"

I nearly jump out of my skin when Yang whispers into my ear. I was so tuned in on Weiss and Ruby that I didn't bother to listen to anything else. When I jump, Yang makes sure to grab me with one arm and place her other hand over my mouth to keep my shriek muffled.

"Shhh, I want to hear what they're talking about."

While I have an increasing desire to bite Yang's hand, I decide to remain quiet and tune in to the conversation in question.

"So, does that sound like a fair arrangement?" Weiss asks.

"Umm . . . this stays between us, right?" Ruby asks with nervousness in her voice.

"Obviously, Dolt. You know I don't like PDA in the slightest. Three times in a row and you win. I guess we can start that in about half an hour, deal?"

"Hm," Yang hums with a smile showing on her face, "Didn't think Ice Queen had a fun streak in her."

"You heard what the bet is?" I ask Yang, a little surprised that she was tuned in while I was still recovering from the fright she gave me.

"Yup, it's definitely something I would do as a little bonding game. Credit to Weiss."

"Wait, so what's the setup?" I ask with a raised brow.

"You don't need to know." Yang says with her giddy tone. I can already tell where this is leading.

"What's it gonna cost, Yang?" I sigh. I could go without knowing what their arrangement is, but I enjoy keeping tabs on them and helping whenever I get the chance. If it's something I can possibly assist with, then I'd like to . . . They're one of the cutest couples I've seen. Plus it makes me feel like one of the lesser-shown characters in Ninjas of Love that comes in at the best of times to help in the most brilliant of ways before disappearing back into shadows.

"Wow, that didn't take long . . . ummm . . . I was honestly thinking this'll take a little longer to get you to cave in. Ummm . . . ear touches and cuddles until we get to Beacon! No exceptions."

 _. . . She's trying to kill me_

"Don't do what you did when we first kissed . . . keep it mild." I say before looking at her with squinted eyes.

"No promises . . . but I will keep it way toned down in comparison. That I promise." Yang says. I know her well enough that she'll keep her word in that regard, but that could also mean that she'll torture me with a slow pace and savor the fact that I may end of asking her to speed up at any point in time.

". . . Fine, now tell me."

* * *

If anyone has ever watched Bakemonogatari . . . you'll understand the comparison with how Blake talks to Yang as opposed to the main female lead in that anime.


	3. Festive Anxiety

_So . . . I finished this pretty quickly. My first time busting out 2 chapters in less than twenty four hours. I feel good about myself._

 _xD I got a nice little lengthy review that had me writing . . . although it was mainly a philosophical view . . . which doesn't really offer much in terms of feedback, but whatever._

 _. You know who you are!_

 _Here's chapter 3, just me having a little fun and giving a recap on a few forgotten faces since everyone's gonna be meeting up again soon :3_

 _Enjoy and please review :D_

* * *

 _ **POV: ? ? ?**_

 _ **Chapter 3 -Festive Anxiety  
**_

It's a typical night for me to be honest. Relaxing in a friend's dorm room, sitting at her desk and just doing me-things. It's a small room, single bed, red carpet, and all the other crap the Beacon dorms have. But, we don't need to worry about every little detail of the room . . . there's more important matters to discuss.

"The Vytal Festival tournament starts in a few hours. It attracts people from all four Kingdoms to come and see if their Hunters and Huntresses can best those of the other three Kingdoms. While it provides bragging rights for the residents, it gives the perfect opportunity to train against different styles and opponents for us . . . the students.

Now, I'm glamorous, a bit of a celeb - Hell, I make this black tanktop and mocha-colored shorts look like the next fashion trend - and I'm practically the best thing around since fried ice cream, but let's get to the facts here.

One: You know little to nothing about me, how about that? I think this little playwright needs to give me some more screen time otherwise these ratings are going to go to shit. Also, I love this damn swivel chair.

Two: I've had my moments . . . good, bad, ugly . . . well, ugly for the other guys. But, I've been through a bit of hell and I'm proud of it. Made some friends, closer friends, a couple of enemies and earned a few battle scars that I'm not so proud of. You understand how tough it is to model when you have some permanent scars on your body? It ain't pretty . . . To me it's kinda hot to see a gal ain't scared of a little danger, but we're here to please the masses. That's the life I live, the life I love, and the life I'm never giving up.

That leads me to my third point: I ain't losin' here. I have too many fans, and my team has my back all the way through. If any of you doubt that we're not bringing home the prize, well you better wake up and smell the coffee, and quick. That goes for all of you."

"Are you doing _**another**_ podcast?" A sweet voice calls out from behind me, followed by an audible sigh. "Yer always doing a podcast when you're stressed . . . You can talk to us."

The first thing I tune in on is her slight accent when she tries to say 'you are'. Her accent is probably one of the cutest things about her . . . next to her looks of course. Speaking looks, I can't help but notice her outfit from my scroll. Cute white pajama pants with carrots all over them and a black t-shirt with her emblem (a stitched heart) sitting in the middle in brown.

"Yeah, well . . . maybe I just enjoy being in the limelight. When was my last photoshoot anyway? Well, not like they're gonna want me back with these scars anytime soon." I scoff and look at the large scars on my forearms. I look ahead of me to my scroll. In the center of the screen is the recording being displayed, and in it I am able to see over my shoulder to the person I'm talking to. The look on her face after I mention my scars switches from a half-smile to a full on frown.

"If it'll make you feel betta, I'll take a couple photos of you."

I practically burst out laughing when she reaches behind her back to get her camera and wiggle it with unrivaled enthusiasm.

"What, so you can sell them on the Black Market and leave me?" I tease.

"I wouldn't sell them for any less than ten thousand lien a piece." She counters before raising the camera to her eyes and snapping a picture before I can turn my head to pose. "Besides, I like it more when you're not trying to look sexy for the camera. It brings out your natural sweetness more."

"Don't talk about sweet. You're giving me a sugar rush just from looking at you." I respond. "Oh, you think you could make me a cup of coffee? I want to stay up for another hour or so."

"You need to sleep, it's already passed midnight. The Festival is in the morning!" I groan when my request for my favorite drink is denied. From my scroll I can see her walking behind me until my head blocks my sight of her. Within the next five seconds her fingers dance along my shoulder, eventually trailing down towards my neck until they pass by each other and end in her arms wrapping around me neck with a decent amount of slack.

"Bon Bon, I'm fine. Don't do _**that**_." I place my hands onto Velvet's forearms, tugging them further down my body to force her head over my right shoulder so I can look into her eyes. It's not until her nose bumps into the frames of my shades that I realize I'm still wearing them despite it already being pretty dark in the room.

"You need your rest, Coco." She whispers to me with another sigh of annoyance. I tighten my grip on her forearms, knowing very well what comes next. Velvet tries to get her right arm free from my grip with progressively increasing strength until I release my grip out of fear of hurting her. She never keeps her aura up around me. Not anymore at least.

* * *

 **(Short memory)**

Velvet has always been a shy and quiet person when it comes to socializing, but in the field she shows a much more aggressive and confident nature. Those things haven't changed about her. However, when we first met she used to have a large amount of trust issues that Fox, Yatsi and I had to work on. It was bad enough that she even got her own room assigned from Ozpin.

One day Fox and Velvet went to the Emerald Forest to train. Fox told me he had a training exercise that may break Velvet out of her shell. I saw no harm in it so I let them go alone.

Five hours later they arrived at the dorm room, covered in blood and bruises. Fox had the worst of it with open cuts, his shirt ripped and his posture that of a broken man. Velvet on the other hand had only a few bruises and the blood on her I soon realized was not her own, but Fox's.

For the next twenty four hours she wouldn't move from Fox's side until he was back to 100%. The morning after she was the first person awake and making a hot cup of coffee that I will always remember the taste of. For one it had such a rich flavor to it that it was impossible to remember. Two, it was her first time ever making coffee and she ended up burning herself.

Now, while burning yourself isn't a big deal when you live in a world where everything within a certain radius wants to kill you. It's the fact that she let her aura down while she was around us. From then on I took notice of her purposely leaving her at a minimal whenever she was in a room with us. I always figured that was what happened with Fox. He probably took her into the forest, they fought Grimm and at one point he showed his trust in her having his back that he let his aura fade. Fox has always been a little reckless, but his methods always yield results. I never bothered to ask what he did, I figured that's something to stay between them.

Anyway, let me get back on track here. It's that reason why I'm always a little more cautious and hesitant when I grab her. Even if my grip starts to hurt she won't use her aura to counteract it. I end up treating her like a porcelain doll. Of course she does keep her aura up in the field, she's not as crazy as Fox to let her guard down when actual danger is nearby.

* * *

After I let go of her forearm she reaches up to my shades and takes them off of me to place them on the nearby desk that my scroll is sitting on. I let out a loud groan and turn my head to avoid what she's going to do but the moment she whispers my name ever fiber of my body tells me not to ignore her calling.

With body-wide hesitation I turn my head to face her. Immediately I'm met with something that melts me each and every time: her bunny stare.

 _Damnit . . ._

"Please get your rest, Coco . . . We're all in this together. How about I make you some hot cocoa instead so you can fall asleep easier?" She asks while I've practically submitted to her harmless stare.

"I hate it when you use your eyes against me. I swear you learned it from a dog faunus or something." I sigh.

"Learned it? How could I learn to look at people in a cute way?"

"Because you're a little mimic Bunny." I answer pretty matter-of-factly. "Look, I'll go to sleep, but I want _**the usual.**_ "

My request is taken with a loud sigh of reluctance from her. She doesn't mind it at all, but she likes to play a little hard-to-get sometimes. She knows I like to have to work for things.

"I dunno . . . I'll need to think about it. You've been getting really greedy with those. Oh, and went to the bottle-o and re-stocked on everything."

 _I love it when she uses her little slang terms . . ._

"Oh? Did you get me any tinner?" I ask with a smile, but she frowns and baps me in the forehead afterwards.

"It's tinny, Coco . . . Tin-ee, not -er . . . You're hopeless." Velvet shakes her head and leans towards my ear. I expect her to whisper something to me, but instead she presses her lips to my cheek. Something she's only done on rare occasions. "I'm going to make you that hot cocoa."

"You just made a hot Coco, Bon Bon. Come here, you." Without giving her an option I swipe my right arm along the back of her legs, then place my left arm on her shoulder. In one motion I turn her around by tugging on her shoulder as well as lift her up by sweeping her legs off of the ground. The result is a collapsing rabbit faunus that lands safely in my lap with a bit of a startle.

"Co-co!" She yells, stressing both syllables of my name. "Let me go this instant!"

"You really think I was going to let you walk away after you did that? I told you I wanted the usual, and I'm going to get it." I announce. I ignore her squirms and rants and simply pull her head to my shoulder while I lay my cheek on her forehead. 'The usual' between us is just a modest, usually lengthy hug. Sometimes it turns into a cuddle, but we've never done more than that. I'm so buddy buddy with my team that it's pretty much normal for me to do something like this regularly. Would you believe me if I said I have no idea which way Bon Bon swings?

"Coco! You need to sleep!"

"You know I ain't letting go of you, Bon Bon. Just humor me for a bit. Please?" I plead. My left hand drifts through her hair, eventually tracing up towards the top of her head to rest idly between the base of her rabbit ears.

"Coco . . . this isn't funny." Velvet stares me down, but she doesn't make anymore attempts to get out of my grasp.

"Am I laughing? When was the last time you took some time for me? Like . . . just us time. You know I don't mind spending time with our team, but I **do** enjoy getting to sneak you for myself sometimes . . . It's not much to ask." I defend and look away to hide a small blush appearing on my cheeks. It's not often I reveal my feelings in a manner, and if she hones in on a few key parts of what I just said, she may just realize that I'm just a teeny tiny, itty bitty-

". . . jealous? Coco, are you jealous?"

 _. . . why must she be a smart cookie?_

"I'm not . . . just miss getting a bit of quality time with you. Yatsi and Fox have their little hobbies with you. Fox and you have a special training exercise that I make sure to not intrude on. You and Yatsi make tea together, and well . . . only thing we do is either have a cheeky back and forth or you're making me something nice to drink."

"Coco . . . that's borderline jealousy." Velvet analyzes. Before I can attempt to defend the lie that I'm not jealous, Velvet reaches up with her left hand, drags her fingers along my jawline, then turns my head to face her again. "There's nothing to be jealous of. Our 'cheeky' back and forths are one of the best things when it comes to talking to you. Plus, I make you coffee and hot cocoa because I enjoy doing it."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it, Bon Bon. You know how I am. I want to make sure I get my time with all of you. Me, Yatsi and Fox have our own training setups and I usually help them with some of their classes. You're above me with academics so it's not like I can tutor you, and you're not that far ahead that tutoring me would make a meaningful difference so it's a bit of a stalemate. Am I making sense?"

"I know . . . I'm usually run off my feet anyway, so it wouldn't help me much either." She lets out another sigh, this one with a heavier exhale that grazes over my neck. "You could always come to my room more. It's not like I have anything to hide from you."

"Hey, I've noticed Fox sneaking out a couple of times. My guess is he's been popping by to see you. You two are starting to have a thing, huh?" I snicker. The moment I mention that she reaches up for her rabbit ears and pulls them down to cover her face. "Oh come on, Bon Bon! You can tell me. Fox is a sweetheart, you two were bound to hit it off."

"It's not like that, Coco! F-Fox just needs a little more study help . . . Don't get mad at him, but . . . he doesn't want to tell you that you're pretty bad at explaining essay formats for Oobleck."

 _I . . . am . . . not_

"Wait, so he's been coming here so you could tutor him?" I ask with a raised brow.

"Pretty much . . . He spends the night because he doesn't want to go back to the room and wake everyone up." Velvet explains, and that matches Fox's personality perfectly.

"I'll keep my lips sealed, then . . . but I won't lie and say that doesn't hurt. Fox should know better than anyone that I won't be offended if he tells me something . . . I'll get over it within half an hour at most." I say rather defensively.

". . . Coco, it took you over a week to forgive him for using the last of the coffee beans last semester." Velvet reminds me.

"Okay, so I'm a little sensitive when it comes to having my morning joe . . ."

"You hit him out the window with your handbag . . ."

"I did it gently . . ."

"Yatsuhashi and me had to sit between you two so you wouldn't hit him anymore . . ."

". . . Alright, you made your point."

"Anyway . . . Can I go make your hot cocoa now?"

"Nah, you're fine where you are." I snicker and let my left hand start to scratch at Velvet's ears at the base. While I'm doing that it registers to me that if there's nothing going on between her and Fox . . . why would she have a reason to cover her face like she's embarrassed about it?

"Hey, Bon Bon?"

"Hm?"

"So . . . if there's nothing going on between you two . . . why did you cover your face?" I ask. When I finish my question she tenses up a bit, then releases her ears so they can straighten out once again. With her ears out of the way I can easily see the redness in her cheeks which further raises my suspicions. "Spill it, Bon. You know I hate secrets."

My stare shifts to something more focused while I pressure her for answers with my gaze. Every second she spends stuttering and staring back at me makes her shrink against me until she's trying to curl herself up in my lap.

"There _is_ someone I like . . . Fox has been telling me a few things I can do to get their attention. That's all." She finally speaks up after a record-long time of me staring her down.

"Oh? Fox is a love guru too? I gotta step my game up before he replaces me." I joke. "So, who's the lucky guy? I'll put in a good word for you, Bon Bon."

"Fox already told me everything I need to do." Velvet says very dismissively towards my offer to help.

"Oh . . . mind telling me who it is?" I ask, curious to see what kind of guy Bon Bon falls for if it wouldn't be the cool and collective type like Fox, or the big, strong, silent type of Yatsuhashi.

"Yes, I mind . . . You'll go and start something before I'm ready!"

 _. . . She knows me too well._

"Alright, alright. I guess I'll take that hot cocoa now." I say, accepting my defeat to Fox with helping Velvet's love life.

"Would you like sugar with that?" Velvet asks me. I don't take notice of it, but her voice has a bit of a sultry drop when she questions me. She begins to stand up, but takes her time to give me a few seconds to think about how many sugars I want, if any.

"Umm, yeah. Give me one just for flavor." I finally decide.

As Velvet reaches her feet, she reaches above her with both arms and starts to stretch, revealing a small amount of her belly to me until she's done.

"Can it be carrot flavored?"

 _How in Remnant's sake can sugar be carrot-flavored?_

"Is that even possible? Y'know what. Siure. I forgot we're in your room. You have everything tweaked to your own flavor." I say more to myself than to her.

"Good!" Velvet begins to hum and walk towards her mini-fridge to start setting things up, but just before she passes me she stops at my side to say one more thing.

"Do you really want to know who it is?" Velvet asks, no doubtedly noticing the negative effect it had on my mood. She doesn't wait for me to answer, and instead bends down towards my ear to whisper it to me. "It's Blake."

"WHAT!?" I scream, losing all sense of calmness for the fact that Velvet knows Blake is taken by Yang. When we got back from our mission last semester, all the talk was about Yang kissing Blake at the dance. It was like finding out who the prom King and Queen were.

"Kidding." Velvet snickers and turns the swivel chair I'm in to face her. "It is a girl, though."

Before I can question her on who it is, she leans forward and treats me to one of her fastest motions. A motion so quick (or just shocking to me) that it takes me a two seconds after she's already done it and walked away to register it completely.

"There's your carrot-flavored sugar." She calls out to me. My Bon Bon just gave me a smooch. On the lips.

I take a few moments to settle my feelings down. It doesn't take me too long to organize my thoughts, but at this point I'm debating if that was her trying to cheer me up, flirt with me, or confess that I'm the one she likes.

"So, umm . . . Candlelight dinner after the tourney?" I shout, looking into my scroll that's still sitting on the desk to see Velvet pouring out milk a few meters away from somewhere over my shoulder.

"Only if you promise to treat me like you always do . . . _**the usual**_."

 _The mixed signals . . ._

"You got it, Bon." I say and throw a thumbs up to my scroll.

It's then that I look towards the right of the displaying image and go wide-eyed at what I start to read.

 _'They totally kissed!'_

 _'Velvet Scarlatina and Coco Adel!?'_

 _'Oh my dust! I'm definitely coming to the Festival now!'_

"Umm . . . Bon Bon?"

"Yes?"

". . . My podcast is still running."

* * *

 _Also, since I love Velvet's voice actor so much I ended up putting in three Australian phrases (to my knowledge) See if you can find and name all three of 'em!_

 _You guys should know by now that I'm not racist . . . so please, let's not have the solo-continent people trying to run me out of FF please? And thank you._


	4. The Original Duo:

_First off, no, the title isn't a typo . . . it's a pun._

 _Second off, I'd like to give a heart-felt thanks to Obsidian Hex for giving me the idea to add a final chapter to BoH2 and let people know to turn to this story._

 _But I also want to give him a big FUCK YOU because my email was spammed last night with so many damn people following this story now . . . My damn phone wouldn't stop vibrating._

 _You guys should know by now, I can't be nice without being an asshole . . . It's no fun._

 _So, here is chapter 4. Yes, it's another mystery POV, but for those who actually know the ship name . . . it's obvious who's in this chapter._

 _Just gotta set up everything up before we start to strictly follow Team RWBY ;) You guys know how I do things_

 _As always, leave a review, and tune in to my stream if you want. Been having a lot of fun with Fallout 4! Can't wait for the mods to come to Ps4. I'll most likely be streaming after this chapter is read, so just check in on me! I don't bite . . ._

 _I do curse a lot, though._

 _Twitch: **Jorge10466**_

 _ **POV: ? ? ?**_

 _ **Chapter 4 - The Original Duo: The Creaminals**_

"Kid, where are you?" I roll my eyes as I'm called on. The echoing voice of that bounces around the high ceiling of the transport airship gives me trouble pinpointing where he is, but after a couple of seconds his footsteps give away his position and make it easy for me to come into his line of sight.

"There you are. Everything okay back here?"

 _He's being . . . nice?_

I humor his question with a nod of my head and a fake smile.

"Good. The next two days are going to be hectic. I don't need to tell you to be careful but . . . watch yourself out there. We all have different jobs this time around. You won't have those three looking in your general direction . . . and if things go wrong, you won't have me around either."

 _What's he playing at?_

I tilt my head, a little surprised at a change of heart I never thought I'd witness from Roman Torchwick . . . To think he can have a bit of a kind side is a little bit frightening to say the least.

"Yeah, I get it." He switches his cane to his left hand and uses it to tap on one of the crates to offer me a seat while he seats himself on another crate adjacent to the first. "I haven't exactly been a 'Father figure', but I wasn't trying to."

Hearing that sentence draws me in to sit next to him, my interest piqued at what seems like a mild confession to his treatment of me over the years.

"You're good, Kid. _**Real good**_. You started off small-time with me and you got better. Simple jobs like B &E, delivery, recon . . . you had all the makings of the perfect _**thief**_. Then you met _**her**_."

At the use of his pronoun I grab the base of my parasol with my left hand so I can use my right to begin drawing the blade. He sees the motion out the corner of his eye and raises his hand dismissively.

"I didn't mean it like that. She changed you a bit. You went from quick, quiet, and harmless to well . . . a monster, for a lack of better words. You weren't supposed to get caught up in all of this. You're a good kid . . . you follow orders to the letter, despite the fact that you probably hate my guts, but let's face the reality here: There's nothing more I could've taught you." He makes a gesture with his hands that usually follow along with the words 'I don't know'. I can't say I'm all too mushy in the heart to hear Roman talking to me like this. It's pretty out of character for him.

"You can still turn back, Neo."

 _Is he serious?_

I look at him with confusion written all over my face. The orange-haired crook looks at me through his one visible eye and scoffs at my reaction.

"Yeah, you wouldn't turn away regardless of what I say." He sighs and slams his Melodic Cudgel to the floor while he appears to be working on forming his words properly. "I don't mean bail out now . . . I mean do your job and lay low for a couple of months. Things aren't going to be organized . . . we don't want them to be. We want it to be as chaotic as possible . . . and I don't think that you-, no that's not quite the right phrasing. This is tougher than I thought, imagine if you could scream at me to hurry up."

I squint and look him in the eye. He raises his hands up in a dismissive manner and lets out a short string of chuckles.

"Bad joke, I get it. What I'm trying to tell you is I have hideouts scattered through Remnant. One in Mistral, three near Vacuo, one in Atlas and obviously I have one just along the outskirts of Vale. You know where my scroll is, use it to find any of them."

 _Is he worried things are going to go south?_ _Or is he worried about me?_

I nod my head to his offer and go on to place my parasol down at my side. For once I don't feel even the slightest urge to attempt cutting up Roman . . . He's being pleasant for a change.

"After all this I'll be done with Cinder for the most part. I'll go my way, she'll go her's and there's no doubt in my head that you'll follow her. She's going to do something only she's capable of, right?" My eyes widen upon realizing Roman knows about one of the long-term deals Cinder and I have when he finishes his sentence by gesturing to his neck. "She's going to fix you right up . . . You'll have it back. Don't think she'll get rid of those other heads of yours, but it's a start."

 _He knows about Coco, Vani and Ber? Does he actually check in on me with Cinder? I thought she was just telling me that to make me want to hurt him less . . ._

I take a deep inhale from my nose and move to my feet. With my usual grace I step in front of Torchwick with my hands on my hips and a slight bend to my left leg which I slide forward to make it easier for me to lean down and stare him in the eye. The close-proximity stare lets him know I want him to cut the bullshit and get to the point. He's bad at working up towards things, always has been.

"Sheesh, Kid. Can't let me try to think this out?" He groans, placing his weight against his cane to help him move up to his feet. "What I'm saying is . . . I fed you, helped you stay alive, made you learn to fend for yourself since I found you. What's that saying? 'Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach that man to fish and he eats for a lifetime'. Something like that. My thing is . . . I taught you to fish, but there's some fish you can't catch until you've had them get away once. I'm offering you a new fishing line in case the one you have now breaks."

 _He is worried for me . . ._

I look up at Roman. His typical white attire, gothic hairstyle and crooked smile are all slightly pale in the dim light of the cargo hull. He's painfully quiet, probably cursing under his breath that I can't give him a verbal response. If I were pretty much admitting I worry for someone I'd want some form of acknowledgement that my words are taken to heart.

"Ro-" I attempt to mutter his name at least, but a sharp pain that can be compared to swallowing shards of sharp glass shoot through my throat. My slight attempt however does catch his attention and the confessing mobster drops to a knee so fast that I his hat ends up falling off.

"Woah there. Mimes ain't supposed to talk." He kidds. This time I let the joke slide. His humor is a little harsher than others, and I suppose with the awkwardness of the situation he probably doesn't have anything to fall back on aside from his humorous remarks. "Look, I know you don't use it anymore . . . but I still have this for you."

I watch as Roman reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a practical relic from the past. I look in shock as he holds out a sizeable handgun by the barrel. Just by the custom grip and sight alone I could tell what it is without him needing to say a thing.

My hands tremble as I reach out to grip the gun by the handle. It looks just like it did the day I put it away for what I figured would be for good. This was a gift from Roman long ago, and since then I had it modified a couple of times to fit my needs. It's my most beloved weapon, one that I can't imagine letting go of again after having it given back to me in such a situation. She's finally returned to me.

The **S.A.D.I.S.T.I.C 5**

 _Last time I used this was . . . the alleyway._

"It has a bit of dust . . . by that I mean dirt, in the chambers but it's still the way you left it. It's no Melodic Cudgel, but it's always done the job for you. Just in case."

 _You idiot . . . Whatever happened to you telling me to fuck off and get back to work? Where's the Roman that's so easy for me to hate and curse at in my head? Why are you being so . . . so nice? You act like this is going to be your last stop in life . . . You've got a few more years, Torchwick. You've never gone down easily._

I look towards the grinning crook, my vision of him growing blurry. I feel like he's giving me a farewell from the present, a portal to the past, and a doorway into a new future all within a couple of seconds. Is this what it's like to be given gifts? Is this what it's like to say farewell to someone you've known for so long?

I've grown to hate Torchwick. He's impatient, rude, sarcastic, and not the most pleasant person to be around . . . but this is a different side of him. He has a gun I lost use of so long ago, a way for me to have an 'out' after everything is over, and on top of that he was right about one thing: He didn't pamper me and make me dependent on him . . . He pushed me out the door and made me learn to live for myself.

Deep down I knew he was doing it for the better . . . but I never had any 'confirmation' to relate to the fact that Torchwick actually cares for me. This is the first . . . and after learning to hate and despise him for so long . . . I'm confused. Half of me wants to slap him for being such an asshole for all these years, but another half of me wants to break down and cry after finding out that I had someone who cared for me since I was an orphan. My own guardian angel . . . or Fallen Angel in Torchwick's case.

I try to look into his eyes to give him a proper thank you, but everything in front of me is a blur of meshing colors and inconsistent lines. My tears roll down my cheeks to either fall to the floor or drip onto my white jacket, staining it with dampened spots.

"Woah, woah. Stop the water works. You know I hate crying kids . . . that's why I made you sleep in a crate the first time we met." I can hear that nervous chuckle of his while he places one hand on the top of my head, then starts to rub my eyes with some fabric. When he clears my vision I see that it's the sleeve of his jacket he was using.

"Look, we'll talk a little more when the plan is launched . . . You need to poof me back into the General's little cell before he realizes his little jailbird is a free canary. I'll see you within the next twenty-four hours, Neo." He reaches down while he's still on a knee and picks up his hat from the floor, but instead of putting it on, he places it on my head and takes a couple of seconds to adjust it.

"Not bad . . . Maybe get that in white with a pink ribbon and brown rim and you'll have a good look going on." He jokes, then places his cane down next to my parasol. "Take me away, Neo."

 _I'll see you soon._

I close my eyes and focus on my inner thoughts. I forget about Roman, about the past, the present, and cease to worry about the future. Through the emptiest state of mind I find myself opening my eyes to the sight of an all too familiar couch made up of three sections, each a different color. Looking at the furniture from left to right, the colors go from brown, to white, and then end at pink.

One at a time my manifestations begin to appear. Coco is the first, phasing into existence on the brown portion with her arms folded and legs crossed.

Vani is the second to appear, and as usual she's too hyper to stay in her seat. The moment she appears, a flash of white shows itself and she's at my side holding onto my arm with the biggest cheek-to-cheek smile.

Berry is the last to appear, materializing at the end of the couch opposite to Coco. She has a better posture than Coco and chooses to have her legs crossed mirrored to how Coco as hers, while also having her left elbow planted firmly on the arm of the couch so she can hold her head up with her left hand.

"Neo's back! Neo's back!" Vani shouts while clinging to my arm. Despite us being the same height, having nearly the same looks . . . it still amazes me how much of a kid she can be.

"We can all see that, you hyper shit." Coco groans in annoyance.

"Anyway, let me be the first to address the elephant in the room . . . Your feelings on Roman have changed." Berry speaks up without moving from her spot.

 _It's complicated . . . He's still an asshole._

"But he's an asshole that kept you alive long enough to meet Cinder." Coco jumps in this time. "We don't know shit about you two before we were formed. For all we know the asshole could've kept you around as a piece of ass because he's a child molester."

 _Don't even joke about that! He's not that kind of guy!_

My voice echoes throughout the empty space to the point that you can feel the entire area shake, along with the couch.

"Don't get mad at them, Neo. That's what they do. They make you think and force you to make up your mind." Vani whispers to me while still clinging to my arm. "Besides, Roman's fun! We've seen all the stuff he does, and he has a fun time doing it! I like getting to see Roman."

 _You may be the only one out of the four of us._

"Anyway . . ." Berry starts again, this time taking her head off of her hands to sit perfectly upright. "You seem very confused . . . it's unlike you. Actually, 'conflicted' is a better word."

 _You expect me_ _ **NOT**_ _to be? The asshole that raised me isn't such an asshole after all._

"Fair point, but don't get too attached to 'em . . . We don't know how long he'll be around." Coco cuts in.

 _Shut it, Coco. I swear you never know when to say the right things. Vani, we need to bring Roman back to his cell. You're up._

"Not a problem! I'll have him back in a flash!"

 _. . . Don't do puns_

I take a deep, slow breath and blink. As expected, I'm back in the warehouse with Roman. On the following blink I can feel a small rush of aura swirl through my body to reach an equilibrium.

" _Ew, he looks so weird without his hat!"_

 _Vani . . . shut up_

"Diggin' the new contacts, kid. We ready to go?" Roman asks, probably referring to my eye-color change.

I nod my head and take a step towards him. It takes me a couple of seconds to imagine the location we need to go. It's a bit of a complicated trip considering it has to be a very precise landing on a hovering airship, but it's not the most difficult jump I've needed to do.

 _Alright Vani . . . up we go_

At my beckon I close my eyes and let out a sharp exhale. I can feel a burst of aura leave my body, along with a change in material from the floor beneath us. I open my eyes to a cramped little closet with a single seat available. It must be maddening to sit here for hours on end . . . I don't know how Roman keeps his sanity.

"This is my stop. Tell Cinder to make sure I get my hat when you bust me out of here." He chuckles and takes his seat. In a matter of a few seconds he already appears to be right at him in the cramped cell. "What you waiting for? I hear someone, get out."

 _He'll never change._

I nod my head and make my second jump, but my curiosity gets the better of me and I end up appearing outside the cell and a couple of meters in the air on top of a horizontal support beam to see who it is. I shouldn't be surprised to see that it's Ironwood along with two guards, and as Roman suspected, he came to open the cell and talk with the captured crime boss.

"Leave us" He mutters, making the two guards continue on their way. "I've been told you refused to cooperate with the authorities."

"I know this might be hard to believe General, but uh . . . I'm not the biggest of local law enforcement" Roman answers with his usual sarcasm.

"How about the world's strongest military power?" Ironwood counters, making me scoff at his arrogance.

"Hm . . . first impressions? Not great"

 _Well, I did manage to break him out and back in . . . 'not great' is being generous_

"I'm going to give you one chance. Who's really behind all this?" The General asks in such a menacing way. It almost makes me want to drop down and kick his head off . . . but then this would all be for naught.

"Isn't it obvious?" Roman chuckles and leans forward, forcing Ironwood to do the same. Just as it appears that Roman's going to reveal something big, he leans back, raises his arms and continues. "You're looking at him!"

 _. . . Don't give him too much trouble, Roman . . . Stay alive for us . . . for me._

I shake my head, waiting a couple more seconds before I let Vani take me out of the airship to return to the warehouse where the White Fang are organizing for an all out war against Vale and Atlas.


	5. Back at Beacon:

_So, we're now back at Beacon . . . or should I say, back in time to when Beacon actually existed._

 _We all know what's gonna happen . . . Well, I do. The fun part is seeing how everyone else handles my changes. This is where I get to have my fun, and fuck with everyone while doing it._

 _Don't get too attached . . . I'm more than happy to make people cry._

 _Leave a review as always :D Maybe I'll be nicer!_

 _ **POV: LITTLE SUN DRAGON**_

 _ **Chapter 5 - Back at Beacon:**_

 _ **The Opening Act.**_

"Hm . . . they got popular overnight." I continue going through my scroll, catching up on all the juicy gossip through some of the more Remnant-wide social media pages. The story most trending now is a couple from Beacon. Now, the story is more controversial than pure gossip, mainly because of the fact that the new popular couple is made up of one human and one Faunus. Although a majority of people keep commenting how they look perfect for each other.

I just wish the world would learn to accept Faunus-human relationships . . .then I could go out and not need Blake to worry about hiding her ears anymore, but that's a long journey down the road less traveled. I think that's the saying at least.

 _You know what . . . let's do this._

After a moment of thought I open the contacts in my scroll and send a simple message to one person. What's a bit of friendly competition?

" _So you two finally hooked up? We don't plan on losing to you, though. Let's see who's better: The Blonde Brawler and her Deadly Nightshade, or the Fashionista and her Velveteen Rabbit"_

I am currently sitting on the bed in our booth, relaxing with my back to the wall and my scroll held only by my left hand. Oh, and there may be a small detail I'm leaving out . . .

"Hey, Blakey?"

I look down to my half-dazed partner as she squirms against me and nips at my shoulder. My right hand is idly tracing dangerously close to her ear, and between every four or five revolutions I take a moment to drag a single finger up along her cute kitty ears to get a reaction out of her. I've been doing this for the past half-hour and Blake's expressions have only gotten cuter as the time's gone by.

"I swear if you make a 'cat's got your tongue joke' I'll kill you." She growls before I take a moment to pinch the very tip of her ear and rub my thumb along the inner part of it. Just as quick as she got hostile, she quiets down and muffles herself into my shoulder.

"I just wanted you to know I love you." I say with the brightest of smiles on my face.

"Then . . . can you give me a break?" Blake asks. She's so short of breath. I kind of want to keep going, just to tease her for her comments earlier. She has no idea how self-conscious I am when it comes to her opinions. I doubt she realizes just how much control she has over me.

"I guess. I need to do some pushups anyway." I admit. At this point Blake understands my reasons for needing to burn off a little excess energy. Having her in my arms and going at her ears for over half an hour can have some . . . 'effects' on me.

"I'll join you then. I want to get a couple of sit-ups in. Your uncle said I may be slacking a little with body control." Blake comments before wiggling out of my grip and moving towards an open spot in the room.

"Body control? As in?" I question.

"Twisting, flipping, and so on while in the air. He says if I can move myself a little better in the air, then using my advanced semblance could possibly make me an 'air master' or something along those lines. Your uncle makes sense one second, then doesn't the next."

"Yup, Uncle Qrow's like that." I snicker and move to the floor to get on my knees and stretch my triceps a little before I start.

While I'm doing that, Blake sits herself on front of me, then lays flat on her back, blocking my ability to get into a pushup position. When I'm ready to begin I place one arm down at her side, expecting she'll begin getting out of my way when she sees me attempting to posture up, but she doesn't budge.

I then place my other arm down on the other side of her torso and lift myself onto my hands and toes with Blake still not moving.

 _Is she really trying to tease me again?_

I sigh, figuring I'll never get my workout unless I power through another chapter of Blake's teases and prep myself for the worst she can do.

Ready to accept my fate, I begin to lower for my first pushup. My breasts touch Blake's waistline and my chin just barely taps her belly before I find myself reaching my stopping point. As I raise myself back up I see her staring at me with a smile that doesn't have that 'I'm going to tease you to death' glare to it. I'm ready to do my second rep, but before I get a chance to lower myself, Blake calls out to me.

"Hold it. My turn." Before I can question her on what she's talking about, she pulls her legs up and presses her knees into my abdomen, making me tense up to hold my position. When I do so, I see her begin to do a situp, forcing me to use my stomach to keep her legs down while she does her rep.

"One." Blake whispers as she completes her sit-up, then finalizes it by giving me a quick peck to the lower lip before she lays back down and lowers her legs. To keep her body warmed up, she doesn't let her heels touch the floor and opts to keep her feet about six inches off of the ground while I do my next push up.

The pattern continues with Blake doing her sit up after each of my reps, and makes her workout harder by _never_ letting her feet touch the floor. However, by doing this she makes my workout even harder since I'm now having to deal with her digging her knees into my torso so she can do her sit ups and not let her feet down.

With each rep I lose track of time, and with each kiss I lose track of the reps. Blake and I soon develop the perfect rhythm where after we kiss, we'll both begin to lower in perfect sync, but I'll be the first to rise so she has room to bend her legs. Eventually our silent workout is broken when an announcement is made over an intercom somewhere within the room.

"We'll be landing in Beacon Academy within the next half-hour."

 _Huh . . . wonder how long we've been doing this._

"Lay down and snuggle for the rest of the ride?" I ask

"Can we . . . skip the ear touches for the rest of the trip, too? I'm tired." Blake mumbles while sliding out from under me.

"I suppose I can let you off easy . . . _**This time**_." I tease before following Blake to the bed. I watch as she crawls onto the white sheets and moves against the wall. I begin to crawl in behind her and place my back towards her so she can press against me and get comfortable.

Usually I'll be the 'big spoon' in cuddles or naps with her, but I guess she wants to make sure I stay true to my word and not attack her ears again. Now, while I don't have any soreness from the uncounted pushups, I can't say that the workout itself didn't tire me out both mentally and physically since each dip on my pushups would leave me just above Blake's belly, and the familiar scent I was getting from teasing her earlier was not being kind to my nose.

No, I'm not saying she smells bad. My problem was it was such a strong scent that I could taste it . . . and it never hurts to want to taste something delicious from the source, right?

Well, fighting that urge on _**every. Single. Pushup.**_ Can take it out of a girl. I think Blake constantly testing my self-control makes things like this easier . . . I can't tell her that, though. If she learns that I'm gaining more and more self-control then she'll continue to get even harsher with her teases until I pop.

As I settle into the bed and Blake finally throws her arm over me, I get myself as comfortable as possible, drifting into my dreams for the next half hour.

(LINE)

When I open my eyes I'm surprised to see that instead of waking up in the airship we're already back in our dorm. Based on how high we are I realize that we're also on my bed instead of Blake's.

"What the? Blake?" I begin to sit up, only to feel a couple of fingers dig into my ribs. Sure enough, Blake is still half-asleep behind me, but the fact that she woke up partially from me _**barely moving**_ makes me wonder how were we both moved without either of us waking up?

"Shut up, Yang . . . I'm comfortable." She groans.

" _ **Finally**_ you two are awake."

 _Oh, here we go . . ._

I turn my gaze down to Weiss who surprisingly has her hair down still despite us being back in Beacon. She's currently sitting at desk near the door and appears to be cleaning out Myrtenaster before the tournament begins. Ruby is on her bed doing the same thing with Crescent Rose. Seeing her 'Sweetheart' all spread open and scattered along the small mattress makes me realize just how large and complicated her weapon is. I'm so glad Ember Celica is simple.

"We came to get you two but your excessive snoring practically drowned out my voice. You're lucky I'm skilled with my glyphs." Weiss scowls.

"Umm . . . I wouldn't say they're 'lucky', Princess . . . You _did_ make an itty bitty scene." Ruby cuts in sheepishly.

"Wait, what?" I try to sit up to listen, but Blake continues to dig her nails into my ribs, denying me that leisure.

"Since you two wouldn't wake up . . . Weiss kind of carried the mattress with you two on it through the courtyard . . . A lot of people saw you two snuggled up." Ruby explains. Those words are enough to make both me and Blake jump up and stare at Weiss in shock, anger, and a whole bunch of mixed emotions. I'm just about ready to go down and give Weiss a punch to remember, but Blake places a hand on my shoulder and gives a small series of taps . . . She's always a step ahead of me when I'm pissed off.

"Don't you two _**DARE**_ give me a look! Do you have any idea how much my allowance was cut because of the damage you caused in my home!? Normally I wouldn't care, but I won't accept not having full access to my funds with the Festival here and having my stuff joint with Ruby.

"Wait, I thought it was my own little card and stuff, Weiss." Ruby questions.

"Everything you have access to is what I have access to, Ruby. The card you're getting is linked to my personal account, along with my personal airship." Weiss explains to my sis, and that explanation makes me snicker.

"Awww, so Weiss is giving you the 'this is how it'll be when we're married' experience. How cute!" I grin, switching the attention to Weiss who's gone completely red in the face. I'm going to be teasing her for the next **month** to get her back for this.

"Be quiet, Yang! That isn't my intention at all. I know Ruby would never abuse any SDC resource so I can trust her with these privileges." Weiss defends.

"And show your father that she's not after your money." Blake cuts in, making an extremely valuable point.

"Now I'm glad people took photos of you two . . ." Weiss mutters.

"Wait, you let people take photos of **us!? Sleeping!? Together!?** Blake gets louder between the last three words. When I turn my head to look at her I can see her face turning a dark red, something that's not very common when it comes to Blake. Although I guess she's more sensitive to the fact since I really don't care who saw. Considering it should have only been people from Beacon since the Festival itself has a different drop off point means that it's most likely people who attended the dance. For anyone who attended the dance . . . they know all too well not to stare too much at me or Blake. One aura burst was enough to enforce it then, I'm sure one would get the job done again if Blakey gets uncomfortable from all the wandering eyes.

"Umm . . . we covered you two with my cape if that makes it any better." Ruby responds to Blake's anger. I turn my eyes to my sis only to have my jaw dropped when I see the scattered pieces of Crescent Rose are already back together and she's already playing with its transformations. The sound it makes is enough to make Weiss turn to give an equal expression at how quickly and quietly Ruby reassembled her weapon.

"Ruby, how did you do that so fast? You stay hours in the workshop cleaning it and you can do it in mere minutes?" Weiss asks with an awestruck expression.

"Oh, when I go to the workshop I try to practice it blindfolded . . ."

 _. . . that's my sister._

"Why would you need to know how to rebuild your weapon while blindfolded?" Blake decides to take the initiative and ask the obvious question.

"Ummm . . . for fun?" Ruby shrugs while she cradles Crescent Rose in her arms.

 _Yup . . . definitely my sister._

"Anyway," Weiss interjects (. . . damn her for teaching me words), "we're the opening entertainment for the Festival. You two need to clean your weapons and show. We have an hour."

"Who are we up against?" I ask while I hop down from the bed to begin fetching my clothes. When I land I notice that Blake's suitcases and mine are stacked neatly on her bed. I keep an ear open for Weiss' answer to my question while I fish through my luggage for underwear, a bra, and of course my shampoo.

"A team from Mistral. Apparently they went to Atlas to have some of their weapons tweaked to be more effective in the Tournament. I think you two met one of them. Blue hair, rides on a hoverboard." Weiss' brief explanation immediately fills my memories of me and Blake spending nearly an entire night battling challenger after challenger, only to be ended by Pyrrha and Jaune. Pyrrha I don't mind losing to . . . but _**Jaune**_ . . . No.

"So she's gonna want payback." Blake elaborates.

"Possibly. Be careful with her. She has something that lets her _**ignore**_ the terrain, and their leader as far as I'm aware of is a powerhouse just like Yang, but has a much more disciplined fighting style."

"Look at Weiss scouting out the competition. I like it." I comment. At the same time, Blake hops down from the bed and begins to fish through her own bag to get her clothes ready as well.

"Just hurry up and shower so we can be on time for once." Weiss answers with a bit of annoyance lingering in her tone.

"Fine fine, **Scout's** honor." I comment, earning a groan from her and Ruby while Blake is finally finding the clothes she needs. I pile the clothes i'm taking into the bathroom on top of each other, then place my shampoo on the top.

"You're washing your hair, too?" Blake asks after seeing the shampoo bottle.

"Yup! Need to make sure I look my best while we're kicking butt." I say and head into the bathroom. A couple of seconds later the door is opened and Blake is coming in, dumping her clothes in the sync before doing the same with mine.

"I'm only doing this because you take _**forever**_ to wash your hair. Hands to yourself." Blake says very sternly. I'm slightly confused as to what she's talking about, but the moment she begins undressing I realize things are looking up pretty good today.

I waste little time in undressing myself after I get a couple scans of Blake's body. While I'm taking off my clothes Blake goes on to start running the shower, searching for a temperature she's fine with, but all the while giving me a perfect view of the Bellabooty. Unfortunately, I can't savor the scenery because a knock at the bathroom door takes my attention away from Blake.

"Yang, I forgot to tell you." Ruby calls from the other side of the door. "We saw team CFVY on our way up. Coco said she accepts your challenge."

 _"_ Awesome!" I leave things there with Ruby, surprised she didn't decide to ask what Coco was talking about.

When I turn back to the shower, Blake is already inside with the curtain slightly open at the end that's away from the water. I walk towards the porcelain tub and begin to climb in, getting an all-too-familiar sight of Blake's body all glistening and sexy(er)-looking thanks to being drenched in water. Her bow is already off and probably discarded somewhere outside the tub.

"Want me to wash your back?" I offer while she's busy making sure she gets water all over her face and hair. When she's done, she turns around to face me, then takes a couple of seconds to get her wet hair out of her face.

"Yang, if you so much as go anywhere near my-"

"Kittycat, I'm not going to do that. Just let me soap you up. When you say 'no' that ends my attempts. You know that." I answer with mock hurt in my voice. There's a short silence between us before Blake speaks up again.

"Yang?"

"Hm?"

"Did you bring in the soap?"

"I uh . . . RUBES" I call out after realizing we have no way of washing ourselves without a bar of soap. A couple of seconds later I hear a knock on the door, followed by Ruby's voice asking what's wrong.

"Can you get us a bar of soap?" I call out.

"Sure, which bag?"

 _Hm . . ._

"Hey Blake, you have soap in your bag?" I ask after taking a couple of factors into consideration.

"Yes, but why not tell her to go into yours?"

"Blake . . . you've seen my underwear. I always leave boyshirts at the top of my drawers, but you put our clothes away at Weiss' house . . . you _**know**_ what else I have." I explain.

"You're right . . ." Blake starts, then raises her voice for Ruby to hear. "Check the outer pouch of my bag, Little Red. Just throw it over the curtain when you come in . . . Hopefully you'll hit your sister in the head."

"Hurtful." I pout.

"Be quiet and start getting wet." Blake rolls her eyes. She reaches up to the shower head and tilts it up so the water starts to go above her to hit me.

"You don't need water to get me wet." I whisper to her. I reach to the back of my head and begin pulling my hair over my shoulder to let it soak up some of the water.

"Your flirts are washed up, Yang." Blake squints at me, but I can't take her staring seriously when she has a lock of hair going straight down the middle of her face. It makes her look like one of those gothic, emo girls that can't control their bangs.

"I love you, Kittycat." I smile.

"I know." Blake snickers and leans forward to give me a gentle smooch. She tilts her head and lets our lips lock, but she keeps it mild, slow, and gentle. Just enough to show her affections, but not enough to rile me up too badly. "Love you too, Yang."


	6. First Round

_So, here is chapter 6. Now I'm back into actual 'canon' with my own twists being added. Some of you have noticed that Weiss has had training with little results to show, well in this chapter you see two new tricks Weiss can do which I think could easily be canon if she's trained her glyphs enough :D  
_

 _Enjoy!_

 _Also,I'm working on a little Cinder x Ruby project on the side for someone, so for those of you that like the ship, follow me so you know when it's out!_

* * *

 _ **POV: RUBY ROSE**_

 _ **Chapter 6 - First Round**_

 _There's my shot. No hesitation, no thinking, and no missed opportunities._

I quickly yank a small ice dust shard from one of the nearby spires and throw it towards my target. The moment the crystal bounces by his feet I waste no time in shooting it, leaving his legs encased in ice before he could take a shot at Yang.

"Got your back, Sis!"

"Oh yeah? Well who has yours?"

 _Behind me?_

I peek over my shoulder, meeting the eyes of the staff-wielding member of their team. If I recall from Weiss' 'scouting report' as Yang took to calling it, this is Bolin Hori.

My eyes shift to his left side, seeing three black glyphs appear there. Within the next instant Weiss comes into the picture, kicking him through the three glyphs to accelerate him through the air and make his impact that much more forceful.

"My BFF!" I shout as he flies away, but Weiss doesn't seem too amused with my response and answers me with a simple 'no'.

"Fine . . . girlfriend." I say, but keep the last word to a near whisper.

For the moment we've lost sight of Blake. Last I saw of her, she was being chased by Reese behind the ice pillars.

 _I'm sure she'll be just fine._

Just following that thought is a loud, echoing buzzer that announces an elimination

"Oh! And Reese is eliminated by ring-out and aura level!" Professor Port announces to the crowd.

"Ooo, she really should've worn a helmet." Doctor Oobleck adds.

 _Good, Blake will be joining us soon._

I look back towards Weiss who is in pursuit of Bolin. Yang appears to be holding her own against Arslan for the moment, and their only other teammate is currently stuck in ice which makes things a little easier on us.

I semblance myself towards Weiss, ready to help finish off Bolin. I'm surprised to see that she's one step ahead of me and has a glyph prepared right behind her for me to step on. Her glyph launches me a short distance into the air, granting me enough height to use Crescent Rose's recoil to give myself a heavy amount of momentum in the form of rapid somersaults.

While I'm building up my momentum I can see Bolin is already making a break to move out the way, but is quickly stopped when Weiss freezes his calves in place, leaving him isolated (pun intended) while I build up to a top speed and come crashing down with an extended leg that crashes into the top of his head. At least that's what I thought.

When I get a clear view of him after the flipping world around me stabilizes, I see that he blocked my kick with his staff and Arslan is already nearby with her rope dart flying towards me. The first thing I think to do is aim Crescent Rose towards Bolin so I can fire and utilize the recoil to get away, but he quickly puts his staff underneath Crescent Rose's blade, so when I fire, his weapon stops me from recoiling away.

I look over my shoulder for Weiss, only to see that she's preoccupied with blocking bullets from our third opponent who somehow got free of the ice, possibly by help from their team leader.

 _Is this checkmate?_

"Weiss! Checkmate! 9 o'clock!"

I look towards the voice to see Yang sprinting our way after making the call out. For her to call for Checkmate means that Blake has to be nearby somewhere. I shift my eyes back to Arslan and opt to kick Crescent Rose at the rope dart to at least stall for a couple more seconds while Blake and Weiss execute their combo.

After a couple of seconds I look to see Weiss throw out a bright yellow beam that spirals around in the air before finally diving into the ground. Where it hits appears to spawn a giant clockwork gear on the ground that is decently sized, but after a brief pulse the size of it practically doubles. I'm surprised to see that with its expansion it manages to reach me just barely, and at the same time reach Blake who is directly across from me at the opposite edge of the gargantuan glyph.

At first I wonder what the glyph is supposed to do being that it disappears the moment Blake and I touch its borders.

"Ruby, we don't have time! Get your weapon and reset!"

I look to Blake who is dashing at her fastest to get towards Weiss who is still under fire by Nadir, but I don't hear the rapid gunshots anymore. I turn my head back down towards Arslan and Bolin, only to see that the two of them are moving as slow as molasses. Seeing everything around me at such a low speed makes me realize that the glyph I touched was Weiss' time dilation glyph. The same one she used to match Shun's speed.

With a slight understand as to what is happening I make a dash to untie Crescent Rose from the rope dart and take it with me before I disappear from the two-man attack with my semblance. It's a little scary seeing Weiss and Yang both moving so slowly.

With the use of my semblance I begin dashing from point to point, leaving scattered rose petals floating in the air that seem to suspend themselves the moment they emit from me. With Crescent Rose in my arms I change her back into her gun form and let out a few quick shots that have a decent amount of speed to them, but all of them are going slow enough for me to actually see the bullet travel. I fired four shots in total, all of them aimed for Nadir whose focus is still on Weiss.

Blake on the other hand takes the chance to throw her Gambol Shroud at Arslan to hook the rope-dart, possibly to give Yang an open shot on her and Bolin since they're both rather close together.

I'm glad to see that me and Blake both got our objectives taken care of, because within the next second time assumes its natural speed and everything is set into motion. Just as Blake wanted, she gets her weapon hooked on Arslan's dart and goes on to pull the team leader into Bolin, making the two stagger which gives Yang ample time ot line up a perfect body shot that sends the two flying towards Bolin.

Bolin on the other hand gets knocked back by all four of my shots, yet somehow still has enough aura to not be eliminated from the match. Thankfully I had a second plan set in the form of all of my rose petals now dancing through the air above, and around Weiss.

"Weiss! Ice Flower!"

Without hesitation Weiss leaps into the air and summons a black glyph that begins pulling all of the petals towards it. Then with her other hand she shows the control's she's been gaining through Uncle Qrow's training and forms a blue glyph in front of the black one that turns each petal to solid ice as they're pulled in.

The three of us leave the rest to Weiss, watching as she forms a third glyph below her so she can stand before finally unleashing the massive volley of frozen rose petals on the three combatants. During the barrage we can ear a buzzer going off until we finally hear a third and Weiss stops her attack with plenty of petals to spare.

"And that's the match! Team RWBY is victorious!"

The three of us all look at each other with a smile, then to Weiss before throwing her all a thumbs up that's accompanied by a loud, group-arranged "BANZAI!"

 _That was awesome!_

After the initial hype of us winning, we all group together and make our leave from the stage. Weiss to my left, then Blake, and to my right is Yang. When we enter the exit tunnel, Weiss says something that gives all of us a huge shock.

"That dilation glyph was a mistake . . . It wasn't supposed to be that big. It's never reached that size before." Weiss explains. "It's usually a third of that."

"How do you go from your standard glyph size to triple that in only a couple of weeks?" Yang asks the obvious question while taking the chance to slow down to give herself a path passed me and Weiss so she can get next to Blake and drape an arm over her girlfriend's shoulder.

"I'm not sure. I think it's because I was using my new glyph to block projectiles and . . . I don't know. I think I threw dust into that glyph and launched it instead of forming a new glyph. I heard you scream for Checkmate so I followed your callout blindly and as quick as possible." Weiss gives a shrug of her shoulders.

"Aw, Ice Queen listens to me!" Yang yips with glee.

"You have your annoying moments, but I know you're serious on the battlefield, Yang. Despite the arguments we get into I will always trust my team without hesitation." Weiss looks over to Yang while she answers. While she's talking I notice her extending her right hand out to me.

I look at her gesture, a little confused at first, but when she clenches her fingers a few times I quickly answer by grabbing her hand and letting our fingers interlace. The gleeful surprise I get from her holding my hand while we're getting to the fairgrounds fills me with so much glee that I practically tackle her from the side so I can wrap my free arm around hers and glue myself to the limb.

"Well, mistake or not it helped us win the match. I was also surprised to see you use two different glyphs at the same time . . . That's new." Blake adds in after my little tackle fit is done with.

"Actually." I feel Weiss trying to do something and let go of her arm so I can get a better view. I watch as she opens up her jacket and shows the inner parts stitching that appears to be a light blue in comparison to the usual red. "I wanted to test the effectiveness of having dust woven into clothing. I had Sebastian put in blue dust before I left home. It made it easier to use two different glyphs since I could use Myrtenaster as a source for one, then my clothing as a source for the other. I think if I start waving more dust into my clothes then I can use any of my glyphs at will."

"Smart, but shouldn't you have saved that trick for the Doubles round?" Blake asks.

"Well, if the rumors are right . . . Yang wants to take you into the Doubles round with her. Isn't that right, Yang?" Weiss asks with a little snarkiness to her voice.

"Why does Yang want to go into the Doubles with Blake?" I ask.

"Well . . . About that Rubes. Was gonna see if we can all vote on it like we said we would . . . but-" Yang begins, but is quickly cut off.

" _ **BUT**_ , she taunted Coco with a challenge of 'The Fashionista vs The Blonde Brawler,' and 'The Deadly Nightshade vs The Velveteen Rabbit'. So, on the off chance that we get matched up against Team CFVY . . . Yang and Blake _**have**_ to go, otherwise our reputation will be stained drastically." Weiss explains.

"Our rep isn't going to get stained, Weiss." Yang argues.

"Oh really? Did you know Coco's been speaking of this matchup since morning? All of her fans are hoping for the fight, and everyone who knows you from The Pit are lining up to see who will win. If Team CFVY are our next opponents, we have no choice but to send you two out. It's that simple." Weiss groans.

I do my best to comfort Weiss, choosing to tug her away from Yang just a bit to get her attention on me. Weiss doesn't pose much against my tugs and easily follows me a couple of feet behind Blake and Yang, but Yang only seems to be getting into more trouble now that her taunting of Coco is out in the open.

"Yang, why am I being dragged into this?" Blake finally speaks up, revealing she had no knowledge of this situation either.

"Well . . . Apparently Coco and Velv are a thing now and I thought it'd be a friendly competition since well . . . They're a couple, we're a couple. She has all these fashionistas behind her, I have my rep in The Pit behind me . . . Then there's also the fact that . . . well . . . y'know." Yang trails off, not wanting to say the last part.

"What? That we're both in Faunus-human relationships? I hope you know I'm not taking my bow off, Yang." Blake says while folding her arms.

"I never said I wanted you to, Kittycat. I doubt we'll be matched up with Coco and Velv anyway. What're the chances?" Yang defends.

"Yang . . . our fate lies in the hands of a single person. I'm pretty sure there's a good chance that it'll happen." Blake growls.

"Oh come on! You can't break the fourth wall to win an argument. That's totally not fair!"

"And why can't I?"

"Because you did it in Volume 1!"

"Umm . . . what?" I ask while turning to look at Weiss.

"I can barely understand your sister, let along Blake when she's arguing with your sister." Weiss says rather dismissively.

Their arguing gets to a point where Weiss and I decide to just leave them to their _**lover's quarrel**_ as Weiss phrased it, leaving us alone to either go back to the Dorm or get something to eat. As we exit the stadium and move into the fairgrounds I expect Weiss to let go of my hand, but her grip only gets strong as we approach more and more people.

 _Is she trying to make a point?_

I don't notice it at first but the longer we walk the more whispers I begin to hear going on behind us, and in turn Weiss' grip begins to get tighter until it starts to hurt my hand. At this point I can tense the awkwardness in the air and choose to quietly follow Weiss' lead, figuring she has a place in mind to eat. That is until we pass by the same vendors over three times in a row.

"W-Weiss?" I call out to her. The result is a slightly startled jump from the nervous heiress.

"Yes, Ruby?" She asks after clearing her throat.

"Do you want to eat, or should we head back to the dorm?" I ask, giving her the option for us to get out of here after seeing how uncomfortable she's getting despite holding my hand still.

"I . . . don't know, honestly. Maybe we should head back."

I nod my head and turn to face where the airship docks are. Going back to Beacon for a couple of hours may be better to calm Weiss down. I'm not sure why she's acting this way. I know she's very hesitant on PDA, and on top of that she's even more cautious because she has a huge reputation to uphold as the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.

After a couple seconds of looking around I finally find a sign that shows where the airship docks are, but before we can take three steps, a voice calls out to us. It's Pyrrha

"Hello~!"

When Weiss and I both turn to address her we can see her clinging to Jaune's arm with a look that surpasses elation. Jaune, in contrast, is sporting the world's largest blush.

Pyrrha's known for her smile, but to see her _this_ happy and holding onto Jaune in such an out of character way is a little surprising. It makes me wonder if they even kissed yet.

"Hello Ruby, Weiss." Ren speaks up with a hyper Nora skipping behind him.

"Hey guys! We were just about to head back to Beacon for a bit . . .maybe find something to eat there." I say, but mentioning food while we're at the fairgrounds proves to be a large mistake.

"We were just about to get something to eat. Please join us. Meal's on me." Pyrrha offers. I'm ready to turn her down but before I answer Weiss' grip tenses up once more, leading me to inch my head closer to her so I can hear what she wants to say.

"I'd enjoy having a meal with them outside of my home. It should be a lot more pleasant."

"Fine, but you don't need to hold my hand, Weiss. One step at a time." I whisper back, but my statement is practically ignored when she doesn't let go.

"We'd love to join you, Pyrrha." Weiss speaks up in her usual, polite tone. Before I know it, the six of us are all walking the fairgrounds to find a spot to eat. Surprisingly we see Blake and Yang already seated at a noodle stand and decide to drop in on them for our own meals as well.

"So, did you two settle your argument?" Weiss asks when we sit down. Weiss and I decide to sit next to Blake and Yang while Team JNPR all take adjacent seats that are perpendicular to ours.

"We did." Yang says in a defeated tone.

"She's making things up to me." Blake adds.

"Yeah . . . I won't be able to stock up on Crescent Rose for you this month, Rubes . . . I'm already in the hole." Yang mutters and lowers her head once more.

 _I hope Blake isn't being too hard on her . . ._

"Well, if you're that far behind I'll gladly pay for your meal, Yang" Pyrrha offers.

"I'd love to take your offer, Pyrrha . . ." As Yang says that the noodle stand guy comes out with a giant bowl of ramen for Yang, and a giant bowl of fish for Blake. ". . . but this is how I need to make it up to Kittycat."

"Women . . . amirite?" Nora calls out to Yang which only draws all of us to stare.

It's been a good, yet weird start to the tournament already.


	7. The Fall's Preparation

_So, first off I need to address a few (2) reviews that were done by guests because well . . . I can't respond to them privately:_

 _So, first off: Yes, Little Sun Dragon is referencing Yang. It's the literal translation of Yang Xiao Long. Also, how the hell are you reading my Fanfic yet you've never watched the show itself!? That's like watching the movie and never reading the book! except this time the shittier of the two is the written version! Shame on you . . ._

 _Although, I do think that my fanfic is good to read if you never watched the series . . . I do run parallel to canon. What do you guys think?  
_

 _Second off: Saying you're typing a review to bribe me to write, and leaving that as the only content doesn't help me with jack shit D:_

 _. . . I don't need you to say anything good, just give me good feedback. What that means is if you say something good, explain it, or if there's something you don't understand then don't hesitate to challenge me on it. I have a terrible allergy to stupidity, but those that attempt to understand will not trigger my allergies, I promise you._

 _On that note . . . I think I'm settings things up to be way worse than they need to be . . . I didn't have a lot of heart-tugging in my previous ones . . . but now I'll see if I'm indeed capable of writing something dark and depressing._

 _Here's Chapter 7, enjoy._

* * *

 _ **POV: Cinder**_

 _ **Chapter 7 - The Fall's Preparation.**_

A beautiful day with a high population crowding the area. I can't imagine the last time I've been in such a . . . positive atmosphere. I'm currently wearing my more casual attire: A beige sleeveless jacket, grey pants and boots, and to top it off I have sarashi wrapped over my chest and hip to feel at my most comfortable and mobile instead of being constricted by the wiring of a bra.

"So, Teams RWBY and CFVY both advanced." Emerald comments as we walk through the fairgrounds. "Are you still going to forge the lineup?"

"It's not a matter of _**am I still going to**_ it's a matter of _**when am I going to**_." I answer with a special addition to our plan. "Things may work out better if we let the two couples battle it out."

"So we let a couple of lesbians get some licks at each other. What's that give us?" Mercury spits, not following the atmosphere at all.

"It's a rivalry, Mercury. A massive amount of support for each will show up. Just being in the same arena with each other will make a lot of their bloods boil . . . Not to mention the effects of when one team finally loses. It'll be a good warmup for the main attraction. There's already a tension in the air for the match itself, I can't imagine how well the results will turn out. On top of that, we have the usual group of people angry over the fact that something as . . . ' **grotesque** ' as a Faunus-human relationship can exist." I explain while we walk, but through the crowds of faceless nobodies, I take notice of two distinct outfits. One made of red and black, and the other made of light blue and white.

 _So the couple's out and about . . . and holding hands at that. Cute._

"Mercury." I call out his in my regular tone. I don't bother waiting for him to answer, and assume he heard me. "Our heiress and her little lover are at our 1 o'clock. Tail them for a little. Tell me anything interesting later."

"I'm on it. I expect to be paid overtime." Mercury sighs while he walks away with his hands in his pocket. I probably should've sent Emerald, but I think Mercury has a better ability to blend into a crowd just based on his appearance.

"Emerald, go check the docking stations. See if anyone we should know about is showing up. I'll be back at the room."

"Yes, Ma'am." Emerald says out of instinct before making her own exit.

I decide to wander around the edge of the fairgrounds, not wanting to get mixed into the crowd, yet also wanting to enjoy the atmosphere while it lasts. The beautiful green grass that decorate the outskirts of the lot are slightly higher than the low-cut grass that is cut within the fairgrounds themselves. It makes for a nice contrast and makes you want to take a seat to enjoy the weather, which I plan on doing.

I turn my back towards the fairgrounds and favor a small cluster of trees that are not too far away. So I may still enjoy the fair, I take a seat at the closest one I can get to, and make short work of finding a comfortable sitting position while utilizing the roots as a makeshift seat and the tree itself as a backrest.

From here I gaze and admire the many different people and cultures that appear to be meshing together. I can easily spot the militaristic attitudes of the Atlesian natives, down to the unimpressed natives of Vale who seem to not share much of an appreciation for the finer things . . . or possibly dislike the amount of time they had to spend to set things up.

From above my eyelashes I see a flash that's accompanied with a few leaves falling onto my head. The flash itself gives away who the person is, but regardless I tilt my head back so I can look up and sate my own curiosity. I'm met with the bright green eyes of Neo seated on a branch directly above me. For the tournament I properly disguised her per Roman's request.

In contrast to her normal appearance I gave her a special set of contacts that make her natural eye color change to green. However, if her eyes change to either pink or white, then it's easily noticeable. For a top she's sporting a black, sleeveless blouse that exposes a small amount of of her waist. Around the neck of her blouse are white frills that give it a slight 'poof' which also helps match the white ribbons in her hair.

Speaking of her hair, we took extensive time attempting to dye it. While getting her brown and pink strands dyed easily, her white streaks refused to cooperate, leaving it as a slightly lighter shade than the rest of her hair, although not that noticeable. To top off the hair change, we also switched the style to twintails.

Instead of her usual pants we decided to go with a black skirt that goes down to the knees, and a white belt that matches the frills of her blouse and the two ribbons that hold her twintails together. She looks entirely different, but her smile always remains the same.

"I thought I told you to go back to the room and relax. I won't need you for a few more hours." I sigh, knowing very well that she wouldn't listen to me. I also find it ironic how she appears _after_ I send Emerald and Mercury on assignments. "How long were you trailing us?"

She appears to be thinking for a moment before she holds up all ten of her fingers. Calculating how long it took all of us to exit the arena, as well as the time it took me to dismiss Emerald and Mercury, that means she's spent half the time following me while I was with both Mercury and Emerald.

"I see . . . You have no intentions of leaving me alone today, do you?" A shake of the head is my answer.

"Very well." I accept my defeat before the battle even starts. Ever since morning Neo's been excited, a little more excited than usual. She knows the dangers of today, but she's more focused on the prize. On the prize I promised her that is.

After the incident in Mistral I told her I would do all I can to fix her . . . to fix her completely. So far things are lining up as needed, and there's only one more factor before I am certain I'll have the control and power to weave into her throat and fix her to the microscopic level. I've told her of countless Black Market surgeons who could possibly give the same results, but she's declined them all and instead chose to stick with my makeshift surgery.

I'm unsure if she's done so to make things difficult on me, or simply used it as an excuse to stay by my side while still working for Roman, but she's been a large help since Day 1.

"I'll allow it just for today." I spend a couple more seconds debating before I finally pat right leg while still looking up at her. "Come take a nap . . . you obviously won't do it in the dorm."

I barely have time to move my hand before she's already on the ground and getting herself comfortable in the grass. In the end she settles for lying on her back and facing the sky before closing her eyes to relax.

"You'll never change, will you? Aside from a couple of obvious things you're still the same girl I met in Mistral . . . it's surprising how quick you can adapt." I know I'm not going to get a verbal response, but the fact that she doesn't even open an eye to look at me leads me to believe that she's already fast asleep.

"Neo?" I say her name in a lower tone than usual so I don't wake her if she really is asleep. A few moments later and I see her begin to part her lips to breathe, confirming my suspicions that she's unconscious.

"I knew you were tired . . . I had you running errands all night. I'm going to start hurting you if you keep pushing yourself." I say to noone in particular.

I have a habit of petting Neo's hair anytime she's asleep in my lap, which happens far more often than it should. Thinking back on it now, perhaps she was jealous I had Weiss Schnee asleep in my lap that day instead of jealous that I may have found a new 'project' to work on. Her priorities are in an odd sequence, and for some reason I'm rather high on the list.

I watch on as the fairgrounds begin to empty with the announcement of the next match. Team JNPR appears to be up next, but with that team name I only have one person in mind, and that's the prestigious Pyrrha Nikos. The semblance of polarity is a powerful thing, and her method of using it assures it remains a secret from all that are untrained to detect it.

For the next half hour it remains quiet. In that time the only things worth noting is that Team JNPR received two more calls to the arena for a match that was scheduled for 5 minutes prior, and a fistfight that erupted at one of the more-visited noodle stands. I hope it isn't Mercury causing a commotion, I hate gathering attention. Although I'm currently laying under a tree with a girl that's dressed to look as cute and unthreatening as possible. I've certainly had a few eyes wander in my direction, but most avoid looking at me directly and instead favor Neo.

Eventually the silence has to come to an end, and it does so in the form of a call from Emerald. I find myself moving a little faster than normal to answer my scroll, and immediately dismiss it as me subconsciously not wanting Neo to wake up.

"What's wrong?" I ask the moment her face appears on the scroll.

"He's here."

I raise an eyebrow, confused as to what she's talking about. My questions are answered when she starts to stream from her phone, showing a high-speed fight with what appears to be someone from the Atlesian Military. I keep focusing on the screen, knowing the other fighter will stop long enough for me to see who it is eventually. She has an elevated view of the fight, I'm even able to see the ring of people gathering around them to observe the spectacle.

When I finally get a view of the other combatant I begin to shake Neo to wake her up. I can't risk being out in the open now that this Hunter is on grounds. However, I take a look at someone standing in the background of the displayed fight. The only words I hear her scream are ' **Kick her ass, Mr. Qrow.'** and that's enough for me to acknowledge it as one of Roman's problematic runaways. A faunus with a short temper, and even shorter patience. She knows Mercury's face and Neo's, but Emerald and myself remain shadows to her.

"Get back to the room . . . I'll bring Neo and Mercury." I say when I've seen enough.

"I thought Neo was already in the room."

"Don't think." I respond before ending the call so I can resume shaking Neo. "Neo, we need to get going."

A couple more shoves to her shoulder finally disturbs her slumber. The sleepy multi-haired girl rises from my lap with a silent yawn and makes a lazy attempt to lay her head down on my shoulder.

"We need to get to the room, Neo. Let's move while there's nobody around."

Neo's groggy spell takes a couple of seconds to pass. When it does she climbs onto my lap and gives me one of her 'i win' smirks. On her next blink her bright green eyes change to white, and immediately after there's a flash that leaves me mildly disoriented. Upon my vision clearing I see that we're in the dorm room. She even managed to plan our landing point for the bed with my back against the wall, making it so there's no need or adjustments on my part to remain comfortable.

 _Forgot to call Mercury first . . . Damnit._

"Oh? The Ice Cream Lady and the Ice cream connoisseur arrive on the scene." The unpleasant surprise of Mercury's voice greets my ears. I could have gone without him seeing Neo on my lap like this, and the smirk she revealed to me seconds before our change in scenery makes me think she knew Mercury was already here. When I look around to see where he is, I find him seated at the windowsill and gazing out towards the Emerald Forest.

"Neo . . . if I didn't need you, I'd burn your cheek." I mutter so Mercury wouldn't hear me.

"Emerald called me before she called you. Also . . . I think I have a certain . . . fiery blonde mad at me." Mercury snickers to himself.

"So that commotion in the fairgrounds was your doing?" I sigh, knowing my suspicion would prove to be correct. "What did you do?"

"Well, I followed your favorite couple like you said . . . and they ended up coming across our favorite redhead along with the faunus and the bimbo. I _**may**_ have _**accidentally**_ tugged her ribbon and expose her ears. Then as always . . . I forget to mind my manners. Blonde gets pissed, Faunus stops her, I taunt a little more . . . then **boom.** Aura flare. It was fun to say the least."

"How many people saw her Faunus ears?" I ask with a smirk. If even two people saw it, the rumor of a hidden faunus will spread like wildfire. It's perfect.

"I'd say more than enough. Gotta say, she looks cute when she's about to cry. I almost wanted to apologize." Mercury jokes.

"You're terrible. I love it." I can't help but laugh. If things weren't working into an ideal position already, then it's surely at a point where the glass is beginning to crack.

"If only Emerald would appreciate the worst of me." Mercury says rather dismissively. "Anyway, should I leave you two alone?"

His comment makes Neo sit up on my lap to give Mercury one of her more serious glares. I'd prefer to not have her chasing Mercury around and choose the lesser of two evils: Those two evils being Neo chasing Mercury, or Neo clinging onto me. I reach out to Neo's cheek and pull the black-haired girl against my breast. Her ill intent practically melts away against me.

"Mercury . . . spare her for today. She has a very important role. Would you go find Emerald?" For once I look at Mercury with a look that doesn't radiate impatience, but one of my patience being non-existent. My eyes take on their usual glow and the dust I keep stashed in the drawer burns through the wood, followed by ice dust to stop the small embers afterwards.

He realizes I have no other words to spare and silently takes his exit, muttering something about me being no fun today. In the meantime I see that my decision to keep Neo on my lap sent the small framed girl back into her slumbers, much to my surprise.

"You're making a mistake by staying close to me, Neo." I say, knowing she can't hear me. She's always been a very deep sleeper. "I'm not the same person you met. Not after I found out what true power is . . . Once I gain the other half, I'll probably only be a shadow of the woman you met. I truly hope you take Roman's advice." I look down at Neo, my left hand idly petting her hair. "If you do stay with me after our deal is done . . . I'll reward your loyalty . . . your unfaltering loyalty."

With Mercury gone and silence making it's presence known. I decide to sing a soothing melody to myself. Just a small tune to keep silence from taking over my ears completely.

 ** _Hush little reaper . . . don't say a word_**

 ** _Cinder's gonna give you what you de…serve:_**

 ** _A way to love, and hate your kind,_**

 ** _And realize the cruelness of . . . mankind._**

 ** _But if you cry and hate me more,_**

 ** _I'll feed the one you love to a Ne-ver-more._**

 ** _Then I'll see you tear and go in-sane,_**

 ** _To realize the true mean-ing of pain_**

 ** _As you rage I'll sneak up to you unheard . . ._**

 ** _So hush little reaper . . . don't say a word_**

 ** _Summer's come and go, yet you don't know_**

 ** _What comes after such a radiant glow._**

 ** _She nurtures and bathes you with her rays_**

 ** _And lets you progress your days unscathed_**

 ** _. . . But Summer's gone, your mum's no more . . ._**

 ** _Her war wasn't one worth fighting for._**


	8. The Exposed Taboo

_Well, here's Chapter 8._

 _Got it done about two days early thanks to some feedback I got._

 _I'd like to give a quick shoutout to ThrGrapestJr just cause I can :o_

 _Aside from that, enjoy the chapter and leave a review as usual!_

* * *

 _ **POV: BLAKE BELLADONNA**_

 _ **Chapter 8 - The Exposed Taboo**_

"I don't care what you _**thought**_. You should've at least mentioned it to me if I was going to get dragged into some huge publicity stunt!" I shout. My voice echoes down each side of the tunnel until it eventually fades to the exits.

I'm furious. It's not the dumbest thing she's done, but it's certainly up there. I'm a person who thrives on keeping a low profile and keeping myself away from the center of attention. What Yang has done stands against that and everything else I've worked hard to conserve. I'm happy being in the background. I'm happy to hide in Yang's shadow, but now she's brought me into the spotlight and there's no way out.

"Kittycat, I didn't mean it like that. I was zipping through my scroll and saw that apparently Coco and Velvet had a little smooch on a stream. All I did was message Coco with a friendly challenge. She's the one that blew it all out of proportion." Yang tries to defend herself, but I'm not having it.

"Why would you even message her? That's something you can tell her in person! I swear you refuse to think things through sometimes." It's barely been thirty seconds since Ruby and Weiss got out of sight, but I've already reached a snapping point. I think this may be the first time I've been this pissed at her. It hurts simply trying to be mad at her. Each sentence I spit with anger dripping in my tone makes her cower away from me.

I'm pissed, beyond pissed but I can't help but want Yang near me. The problem is, being angry while trying to stay near the same person you're yelling at doesn't exactly go hand in hand. With each step Yang takes away from me, I take one towards her to keep the distance between us unchanged. This cycle continues until her back hits a wall and I'm standing directly in front of her with a red face and a look she's learned to fear within the past couple of minutes.

"Kittycat, look." Yang holds her hands up, trying to get me to calm down. "I screwed up. Big. I'm not gonna try to defend my case here. Let's just get through the rest of the day, and we can talk about how I can make it up to you in the morning."

"Make it up to me? You think one simple thing is going to make it all better?" My voice is a little calmer now, but my tone and expression both remain unchanged which keeps Yang at a distance for the most part.

"Blake, please. Whatever it takes, alright?" Yang's voice turns fragile and shaky. That combination makes me look into her eyes to see the broken gaze of bordering tears. I never thought I would ever see Yang about to cry just from me _yelling_.

"I want a date. A real date. We'll start with lunch at the fairgrounds . . . then tomorrow night I want you to take me out. Wear something nice." Considering the amount of people that know who Yang and Coco are, I should be asking for much more, but I guess letting her off with a warning is good enough. Next time I'll give her the silent treatment for a few days. "Oh, and we better not go to anywhere cheap . . . Impress me."

"Blake, I'm all for a date in town, but . . . I don't get paid for my last match for another four days, plus Ruby's due for an ammo restock and I usually . . . Okay, Ruby's ammo can wait." Yang finally mutters when she sees my blank, unamused stare.

"Good . . . let's get lunch, I'm hungry." Yang nods her head and opens her arms for a hug, but I choose to step back and walk in the direction that Ruby and Weiss went.

Now, some may think it's not a big deal what Yang did, but it's more the concept of her pulling me into the public's eye without me having a say or option in the matter that has me mad. If Yang continues to rise in popularity, then so will I through association. The biggest problem is the fact that now it'll be awkward for people to know who I am when I go to pick up the next volumes of Ninjas of Love . . . which actually comes out at midnight tomorrow as a special edition from the Vytal Festival.

I check over my shoulder to see if Yang is following, which she is. Her feet drag with each step and her head remains lowered. When I look back at her she raises her head to meet my eyes, and at that point I choose to face forward and look for the nearby noodle stand. I recall seeing a special on the displayed menu which caught my eye and since Yang's treating, I may as well see if I enjoy it.

We spend a couple of minutes walking after we exit the tunnel. Most of the time it's finding a way out of the arena to reach the fairgrounds, and at the fairgrounds it's pretty easy to find the stand I was talking about.

The moment I take a seat, Yang chooses to sit to my left but doesn't utter a word. A simple nod to the vendor is all that's needed for him to know what I want. The fairgrounds are a bit crowded to say the least. The students from the other academies are easily differentiated from each other based on uniform and their stature. It's amazing how many people have gathered for an event I've only been able to observe through a television screen . . .to be here is an honor, but I can only ignore the obvious issue next to me for so long. I guess I should stop savoring the surroundings.

"Yang." The moment I call out her name her eyes dart to me. "Don't think I've forgiven you . . . but I won't ignore you when you're depressed."

"I goofed, Blake." Yang shrugs her shoulders. "I just want tomorrow to come so I can make things up to you." Yang brushes her bangs out of her face so she can look at me clearly. "I don't want you to pretend you're not mad at me . . . Get all that anger out now so tomorrow can be a good day . . . for both of us." After Yang says what she wants, she gestures for the clerk and asks for a bowl of 'the usual', leading me to believe she's been to the original place.

"I think I got most of it out from yelling at you . . . I'm just trying to make sense of it all at this point. That is all." Right after I say that I can see Ruby, Weiss, and Team JNPR all approaching us in a group. JNPr all seat themselves together while Weiss and Ruby take a seat next to Yang, leaving me the furthest from everyone.

"So, did you two settle your argument?" Weiss asks to break the silence among Yang and I.

"Yeah . . . I won't be able to stock up on Crescent Rose for you this month, Rubes . . . I'm already in the hole." I hear Yang say. It makes me wonder how far she's going to go for our date. A simple night of stargazing in the Emerald Forest and then a trip into Vale for dinner at a restaurant would suffice for me. My bar isn't set that high, but it seems she is intent on passing any expectations I may have. I shouldn't expect less of her.

"Well, if you're that far behind I'll gladly pay for your meal, Yang." Pyrrha offers.

"I'd love to take your offer, Pyrrha . . ." Just as Yang says that my bowl of fish is brought to me, gracing me with a heavenly aroma. "But this is how I need to make it up to Kittycat."

"Women . . . amirite?" Nora's comment draws all eyes to her. In the meantime I take the chance to pull Yang towards me so I can whisper.

"Just because you're paying for my meal doesn't mean you can't let Pyrrha pay for yours . . . Don't you want to save for tomorrow?" My suggestion makes Yang nod her head, and when she's given a chance she asks Pyrrha politely if the offer is still on the table.

"I'd be happy to lend a hand." is Pyrrha response. Soon enough another six bowls are sent around and everyone goes quiet to enjoy a bowl of ramen. It's nice to be around everyone like this . . . especially outside of Schnee Manor.

After everyone's done eating I listen to the conversation going on which ends up with Nora taking hold of the mic and not letting go.

"We have a world renowned fighter on our team, what's basically a ninja, I can bench five of me . . . Jaune." Nora takes a moment to gesture towards the blonde leader who appears to be struggling from a stomach ache. "We trained all year, our weapons are awe~~some, Glynda barely yells at us anymore and uh . . . Jaune!"

"Are you going to take that?" Ren asks when Nora's done.

"She's not wrong." Jaune mumbles without lifting his head from the table.

"I'm kidding! He knows I'm kidding." Nora defends while giving a dismissive gesture in Jaune's direction. "Don't be so nervous. The worst that can happen is we lose. Then it's just a few more years of walking around school and everyone knowing we're failures. Our friends will slowly abandon us to preserve their social status. We won't be able to show our faces in class, no one will sit with us in the cafeteria. Ren and I have no parents, and we have no home left to go to. We'll officially be named Team Lose-ipur" Nora switches to a laugh that slowly turns into a panicked cry before falling silent after headbutting the table.

"So uh . . . yeah, pressure's on." Ren's states to summarize Nora's lengthy rant.

I shake my head, fighting back some chuckles at how different Nora and Ren are despite them being childhood friends and being around each other for so long. While listening to everyone talk and have a good time, I start to slouch and relax. The atmosphere is wonderful and being near my friends who always manage to have cheerful attitudes around each other definitely amplifies everything.

"Well, this has been nice." I finally speak up after being an eavesdropper on the conversation amongst friends. "I think taking a shower and grabbing a catnap would be a great idea . . . after seeing your match of course."

"Team RWBY! To the seats!" For a split second the three of us look at each other, then to Ruby before throwing our arms in the air and letting out a loud 'Banzai!'. For the first time since we been to Beacon, Weiss actually joins in on our group chant this time around, but just as I tilt my head to the side I feel something brush over the top of my head, and within the next instance I feel a heavy breeze tickle my faunus ears, making them flutter to get accustomed to the sudden climate change.

 _Did someone just . . ?_

My hands fly to the top of my head to verify my assumption. I gi wide-eyed when I'm able to feel the fur of my ears instead of the slick fabric of my ribbon. On reflex I immediately cup my ears with each hand and hold them down against my scalp to keep them hidden from anyone that's walking by.

"M-My bow!" I finally manage to shout after recovering from the initial shock. In that instant I get seven pairs of eyes all lock onto me to see me covering my exposed ears.

"What happened? Did it blow off?" Yang asks and begins to look around. However, her eyes focus on something over my shoulder, then turn a ruby red almost instantly. "Hey! What's the big idea!? Give that back!"

"What, this? I thought it got caught on her head, was just trying to help." Upon hearing a man's voice I turn in my seat to look in the same direction as Yang. The person I find myself staring at has silver hair, and an outfit composed of black, grey, and silver. In his left hand I can see my ribbon curled a few times around his fist while a couple of inches are left to flow with the mild breeze.

"It was there for a reason . . . may I have it back?" I ask with a shaky voice. I can already see people peeking out the corner of their eyes at the realization that a girl in a simple black bow is really a faunus.

"Hmm . . . I don't see the point in giving it back."

"Why you little- GIVE HER BOW BACK" Yang screams. I can hear her moving to her feet and I quickly extend my leg to stop her from walking up to him. I try my best to keep Yang held back while also keeping my ears covered, but the tedious task of also keeping myself balanced on the stool makes it difficult.

"What she's trying to say is, that ribbon is her property and we'd _**all**_ appreciate it if you'd return it to its rightful owner." Pyrrha speaks up in her kindest tone to diffuse the growing hostility.

"Well, we don't know who that could be. I wouldn't be surprised to find out she stole this from a clothing store."

 _What?_

"I'm not a crook!" I shout at him.

"Oh really? Then why hide who you are? Hm? Are you ashamed to be a faunus? I can't blame you." He chuckles which starts to draw out my anger as well as more of Yang's.

"I'm not ashamed of who I am. I just want my ribbon back." I state in my bluntest tone, but he only shrugs his shoulders.

"Wait a minute . . . You're the blonde brawler." He observes, breaking his attention from me to look at Yang.

"Damn straight, I am! Now stop messing around. Give her bow back and apologize!" Yang growls with growing impatience.

"Hm . . . You seem a little too angry at all this. Let me guess: The pussycat's eating your puss. Is that it? Little cannibalistic, don't you think?"

That is the last straw with Yang. The moment he says that she shoves my leg down and starts to dart towards him. I swallow whatever insecurities I have for the moment and pull Yang towards me with both arms, leaving my ears to be exposed to any who pass by.

"Don't stoop to his level, Yang! That won't change a thing." I scream at her while trying to keep her held back. "If you strike him for treating me like this, then it's no different than what The White Fang are doing."

"But Blake!" Yang looks over her shoulder at me with red eyes. It's rare for her to look at me and keep those eyes so bright. She's pissed beyond measure at this point.

"Would you look at that. The faunus holds the leash in this relationship. Talk about a role switch. I wonder how bad your rep is going to drop once The Pit finds out you're dating a faunus. Hell, they may boycott you over it . . . you'd never be able to fight there again. How'd that make you feel, Pussycat? Just by being near someone you leave them to suffer from the mistakes your specie made. You lot should've stayed on Menagerie."

 _They wouldn't do that to Yang, would they? It''s not like I associate with the White Fang anymore . . . Nothing can trace me to them._

I live my thoughts of denial. I know very well that they would do that just because Yang's dating me. If I were a human things wouldn't matter, but in this day and age it's all about what people deem taboo and unacceptable. If word gets out then I'll single-handedly be the reason why Yang can't fight anymore.

"Shut your mouth! You don't know shit about Blake!" Yang snarls at him.

"Your comments are very uncalled for." Weiss and Pyrrha jump in.

"I think you need to start walking." Jaune calmly walks by me and Yang to stand face to face with the silver-haired asshole. "Just give her the ribbon back and we'll go about our business."

"I'm just laying out the facts for her. What's next? The established Pyrrha Nikos starts losing her supporters because of who she's associating with. Or maybe the Schnee Dust Company going under hellfire thanks to the heir being on the same team with a White Fang member? All she's doing is being a burden on all the hard work that's been done."

"I . . . I'm not a burden." I mumble in protest, but it's at a tone that only Yang can hear, but right then and there I begin to hear the whispers of onlookers.

' _Is that a faunus?'_

' _Isn't she on the Beacon Team?'_

' _I thought there was only one Faunus from Beacon'_

"I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my friend alone." Jaune speaks up a little louder than earlier and makes an attempt to snatch the ribbon out of the other person's hand. Jaune's attempt to take the ribbon results in him getting kicked in the stomach and being sent flying by Yang and I to be caught by Nora who apparently got up while things were unfolding.

"Calm down there. Chivalry's gonna die if you keep it up at that rate. I'll give the bow back . . . but I want an answer to my question: How many human protesters for Faunus Rights have been persecuted for your cause? How many more humans will you let take a fall before you learn you're a burden? The way things are looking, neither specie wants a couple like you . . . you're all alone, and eventually you're gonna be alone . . . without your blond lover."

I choke on my breath at his words. On instinct I cling to Yang, the thought of her taking a dive for me that she can't recover from. The thought of her family blaming me for the ridicule she'll suffer. I don't want to be the one to drag my friends down. I don't want anyone to bury themselves for associating with a Faunus. I know not everyone will discriminate, but the percentage of people that will is far too high to simply take chances.

Not knowing what to say or what to do I hold onto Yang and bury my face into her neck. In mere seconds of being in her secure grip I close my eyes and begin to scream into her shoulder. If bringing me to tears is what he was after then he just succeeded. All the worries I hid in the back of my mind when I first started to date Yang come forth. She said that she'll be ready to deal with any and all obstacles, but the amount that she'll have to deal with is simply too much. I don't want to lose my friends, my girlfriend, or my new family. I finally have somewhere to call _**home**_.

"Crying? What a puss-"

"Get the hell out of here before I break your legs!" Yang shouts, but this time adds a flare of her aura that makes my hair sway. Right after that pulse I see Pyrrha walking by Yang to stand toe-to-toe with the obvious racist.

"You're on one of the Mistral teams. You're giving my home a bad name with your terrible manners and unforgivable views. You've hurt my friend, you've hurt my boyfriend, and I don't plan on being an onlooker to this any longer." Pyrrha stares him down until he finally takes a step back.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving." He says and turns around to walk. "By the way . . . haven't there been reports of executions for relationships like these? Just something to think about." He chuckles and walks away. He still has my ribbon in his hand but finds a nearby bin to chuck it into while he continues to make his exit.

"He's gone Kit- Blake." Yang corrects. After what just happened she knows it's a bad choice to use one of her pet names. "Just ignore him. He's an asshole."

"He's one of _**many**_ , Yang . . ." I whisper when I settle down a bit. "But he's telling the truth. There's so much baggage I come with just because I'm a faunus. I don't want you to deal with all of that. It . . .it's not fair to you."

"That doesn't matter, Blake."

"Doesn't it!? You lose The Pit and there goes your biggest source of income. There goes Ruby's supplies, there goes Weiss' reputation, and I can go on!" I scream to her while tears flow down my cheeks. The more I think about it, the more worried I get that everything we've built as a team emotionally will be destroyed in a matter of hours should things go south.

"Blake," Yang pulls back so she can look me in the eyes despite my vision being extremely blurry from my current tear shedding. Yang takes the sleeve of her jacket and starts to rub the salty water away to clear my vision. "There's not a thing in this world that'll take you from me. I'll punch down any amount of doors I have to."

Yang concludes her statement with a soft kiss to my forehead. For the moment I'm able to forget about everything . . . That's at least until I hear the sound effects of a scroll taking pictures and look out the corner of my eye to see several people taking a snapshot of Yang kissing me on the forehead. Immediately I push her away to avoid feeding the media any sort of story they may want to forge. It's like this at the Festival, and surely enough the news will spread overnight like wildfire.

I know for sure that I'm not going to want to go into Vale tomorrow . . . not after today.

"Don't worry, Blake . . . If I see him in the finals I'll make sure he knows to never talk to you that way. Ever." Yang's voice is so cold and full of hate. It's almost difficult to tell that it's her talking.

"Yang, I already told you . . . Violence will solve _**nothing**_. We're not the White Fang. I refuse to get treated properly through fear or violence . . . Just let it be . . ." I gently push her back and shift around to my feet. "I'm going back to the dorm . . . Enjoy the next matches."


	9. The Least I can Do

_Welp, here is chapter 9 . . . and I'm a little surprised that so many people are hating on my Cinder D:  
_

 _I worked hard to make her a manipulative bitch . . . At least hate AND admire her bitchiness to an extent! She won't even notice Emerald_

 _Anyway, on top of that . . . several people want Mercury dead, although I think Roman's "Fish Market Buffet" line from my first fic was totally worse than Mercury's "Cannibal" line. I dunno._

 _Also, if you guys wouldn't mind (although I'll be surprised if more than 5 people do this) I'm curious, who is your favorite 'side ship' in my stories so far?_

 _Renora_

 _Arkos_

 _Cinder x Neo (Fried Ice Cream?)_

 _Coco x Velvet (Chocolate Bunny?)_

 _And on that matter xD Someone said I should ship Shun with Winter . . . I doubt that'll be something that people would accept. Was a fun thought though._

 _Anyway, here's chapter 9! Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **POV: WEISS SCHNEE**_

 _ **Chapter 9 - The Least I can Do**_

"You guys go on . . . I'm gonna take Blake back to the room."

One moment we're all happily joking around. The next we're all stressed out defending our friend. This is a mess and a half, and while I wish I could offer my services to help cheer Blake up, I know that there's only one person who can do such a task.

"We'll go with you." Ruby offers, but I quickly nudge her so she'll follow my lead.

"I think Ruby and I will offer JNPR our support. You two go back to the room." I respond. I decide to take off my white bolero and offer it to Blake so she can use it to cover her head as I'm sure she's dying to do. I'm not surprised when she practically snatches the offered jacket, then places it over her hair and ears while cowering against Yang. I hate to see my teammates like this, but I suppose the benefit of being in two separate relationships is that we know who can better cater to the other, although there are some situations where there may not be a definite answer to that.

"Will Team JNPR report to the arena for the third time." Professor Port demands over the loudspeaker.

"We have another five minutes before Team JNPR forfeits their match." Doctor Oobleck adds.

"Ugh . . . I hate to run like this, but we need to get to this match. We'll come check on Blake after!" Jaune groans.

"Please be well, Blake." Pyrrha whispers and gives a bow of her head before she follows Jaune.

"Snugglefest with Yang can totally help that." Nora jokes, hoping to lighten the mood before she follows Pyrrha.

"I'll gladly make you a cup of green tea when we return." Ren offers, then follows behind Nora.

Realizing the situation I stand up to move next to Yang who is still hugging a seated Blake. Yang and I exchange a quick stare before she pulls away from Blake, but the bothered Faunus clings onto her girlfriend until a little more effort is made to move away. When Yang manages to create enough room for me to step in, I place my hands on Blake's lap and patiently wait for her to meet my eyes, which doesn't take long.

"Blake. You are not a burden on any of us. Yang won't lose the Pit, My grandfather's company won't take a plunder, Pyrrha surely won't lose any of her supporters, and none of us are ever going to abandon you. If I come back to the room and see that his words are still bothering you, then I will take it as an offense to our friendship. Please cheer up." I conclude my short speech with a hug that pulls her against my chest for a short time. None of my words are false, especially the last part. For Blake to be bothered by this means that deep down she believes him, and for her to believe a Faunus hater (coming from someone who detests those of the White Fang) makes me wonder if those were worries already present in her mind. "Get her back to the room A.S.A.P." I say to Yang before I break away from Blake.

"That's the plan." Yang answers before taking her place in front of Blake. I decided it best to leave those two alone from here on. If things aren't better when Ruby and I get to the room then I'll have a personal talk with Blake.

"Let's go find a couple of seats, Ruby. The match should be starting soon." She's quick to agree with my suggestion, letting us leave the other half of our team to talk.

"Are there really people _**that**_ bad out there?" Ruby asks while we walk into the arena.

"Be thankful my father is fearful of your uncle. It made things less unpleasant exponentially." I explain while we find ourselves a front row seat on about the third level.

We're already a little late to the match, but it doesn't seem like we've missed much. Looking at the screen that hovers above the stage it seems like Ren and Jaune are the only two who have lost a sizable chunk of their aura from Team JNPR but their opponents, team BRNZ appear to have all but one person with damage to their aura, and after a little scoping out of the battlefield I can see that the person must be their team's sniper whose accuracy pales in comparison to Ruby's.

While watching the fight I'm impressed at how much improvement Jaune has shown after only a semester. He's certainly more composed and shows surprisingly good coordination with Pyrrha despite the difference in skill between them being unmeasurable.

"Jaune's gotten pretty good." I admit to Ruby while we observe him and Pyrrha taking on a duo while Ren takes on two himself, one of them being the sniper.

"Ren's been getting better too . . . when he's not trying to sleep." Ruby adds

Realizing that Ren is dealing with two people at once I begin to look around for Nora, spotting the hyper JNPR member making her way up the mountain towards a thundering cloud.

 _What would she need to go up . . . ooooh . . . Semblance, obviously._

Rather suddenly I hear Ren call out Nora's name, which in turn leads Pyrrha to run towards Jaune. Within the next few seconds I'm exposed to a result of Jaune's training: an impressive amount of strength that makes him capable of throwing Pyrrha straight in the air, high enough for her to block an oncoming shot from the enemy sniper and grant Nora the last couple of seconds she needs to reach the top and raise Magnhild to the skies to act as a catalyst to conduct the next bolt of lighting.

"And that should be the match . . ." I assume after seeing Nora get enough of a jolt to fully charge her semblance. Her strength is already apparent, but with her semblance at its peak I can only imagine how frightening it can be. I should probably ask Ren if he'd like lightning dust for his Stormflower . . . it'll help his synergy with Nora very well.

As expected, Nora's destructive power proves to be 10 fold when she comes slamming down with an echoing clap of her hammer, after taking the chance to use all of her grenades in one destructive blast to smoke out the pesky sniper from their hiding spot. All in all it's a solid performance, although Jaune ends up making a callout that causes mass confusion between both teams . . . which ultimately ends in Nora taking out four people in one shot . . . something Yang was confident she'd get the chance to do.

"Can't say I'm surprised. They're good, but nobody's beating a team with Pyrrha on it." I conclude.

"That was . . . faster than our match I think." Ruby examines.

"Could have been. We were more scattered in our match, this one was team-focused almost the entire way through. This was honestly a little too fast to just head back to the room . . . You want to test out the other dust cartridges with Crescent Rose? We can do it at the fountain and just fire towards the Emerald Forest." I turn my head to look at Ruby who takes a moment to weigh her options.

"Hm . . . That sounds like an idea! Oh, we still need to decide who goes to the Doubles round, too." Ruby mentions, but I quickly remind her of something.

"We need to wait and see who we're going against anyway. If it's Team CFVY then we have no choice but to send Blake and Yang . . . If Blake's still willing to participate, that is." I take the chance to get up from my seat with Ruby soon doing the same.

"Yeah . . . Well, let's go to the courtyard and then we can check on Blake!" Ruby changes the conversation, and I'm glad she did. It's a depressing subject to picture Blake's mental condition right now. Even I was getting upset as his comments.

Ruby and I make our exit from the coliseum and take the first airship we can down to Beacon. Upon landing we discover that there are traces of mild destruction along the courtyard, varying from scratch marks along the ground, to soot painted along a couple of pillars. Aside from that, everything appears to be in order.

"So, let's try these out." I say before drawing Myrtenaster and discarding three of the cartridges from my weapon. "Give me your clip." I demand more than ask, but Ruby is quick to follow along.

Once I have her clip in my hand I empty three of her bullets into my hand, then toss the rest onto the ground in front of me. Using two small gravity glyphs I carefully hold the bullet in place while I pop the back off and empty the usual contents in exchange for red dust. I then repeat the process two more times: Once with ice, and the third with a recommendation of mine to see if Ruby could make use of it.

"There. Let's fire these off while nobody's around. Watch where you aim." I warn.

"No problem!" Ruby lowers down to a knee and extends Crescent Rose into its scythe form. She plants the very tip of the blade into the ground to keep her weapon steadied and extends her right hand for the first bullet.

"Fire!" Ruby calls out and I quickly give her the first bullet. She makes short work of popping it into the chamber and releasing the shot down into the forest. I look in the direction she shot and soon find a small spark of red ignite near a tree, indicating where her shot was placed.

"Ice!' Ruby calls right after. While still looking at the very distant flame I give her the second bullet. It seems like she thought about the possibility of collateral damage when she was preparing her initial shot, because the moment she gets the ice bullet into the chamber it's fired right at the ignited tree and immediately diminishes the flames with spectacular results.

 _Not bad . . . only one that's left is -_

"Gravityyyyyyy!" Ruby demands for the last. I hesitate on giving it to her at first, but with her constant beckoning for it with her fingers I end up caving in. The moment she fires the shot I wince. The echoing sound of the shot itself was shiver-inducing, but what makes me wince is the fact that the recoil of her Crescent Rose is amplified over ten fold with the current dust type. The moment she shoots, her weapon rips up the grass and sends her flying back until she's stopped by a pillar. The stunned redhead takes a moment to gather herself and offers me a thumbs up to which I facepalm

Knowing that she isn't hurt gives me the peace of mind to take my time in walking towards her. Once I reach her side I kneel down to help dust off her outfit before helping her to her feet and doing so again, although this time I focus more on her combat skirt.

"Dolt. I think that one should be left for . . . unique circumstances." I evaluate to her agreement.

"Kicks like a mule." She responds while converting Crescent Rose back into its passive form.

"That weapon _**always**_ kicks like a mule, Ruby. You can throw yourself around with its recoil."

"I know that. What I mean is . . . nevermind." Ruby quickly retreats before I continue to beat through her logic.

For the moment the two of us remain quiet. The awkward silence reminds us of what possibly awaits us when we arrive at the dorm room. Almost on cue, the two of us look towards the large tree that sits near our window and attempt to either spot or hear anything going on between Blake and Yang.

"It's quiet . . ." Ruby observes.

"Too quiet for my liking." I add.

The two of us exchange a quick glance and decide the best course of action is to go upstairs and see what is going on between Blake and Yang. With hesitation among the two of us we enter our dorm and make our way up the usual flight of stairs, turn at the three-way intersection at Velvet's room, then finally come to our room which has the door closed.

"I don't want to open it." I state.

"I don't want to either! You do it!" Ruby argues with a heavy stomp of her foot. I've almost forgotten how cute she looks when she pouts, especially when a stray strand of air rests on the bridge of her nose.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" I offer, not finding a better alternative to find out who will open the door.

"Deal." Ruby agrees. The two of us ready our hands and begin the traditional callout.

"Rock, paper, scissors, and-" I don't even get to finish the sentence before Ruby semblances right by me, leaving me standing in front of the doorway while she's quite a distance down the hall. I nod my head at how gullible I just was. Ruby pulled the same thing on Patch, I should have known better.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I say to myself. I begin to reach for my bolero pocket when I realize that I gave my bolero to Blake, meaning I don't have my scroll on me.

"Ruby, I don't have my scroll. Just come open the door." I shout down the hall. Thankfully she doesn't prove to be too stubborn on the matter, although she does take her sweet time in walking to me. When she finally reaches arm's distance I hold out my hand to take her scroll and quickly use it to open the door.

To our surprise there's nobody in the room. Blake and Yang's belongings are put away, as well as their suitcases. On our side of the room I see that they took the liberty of putting Ruby's suitcase away as well as mine. Cleaning to avoid a stressful situation is rather common, but for them to _**both**_ have been in the room and the only option was to clean leaves me slightly worried for the duo.

"Hey Weiss, what's that?" Ruby reaches over my shoulder to gesture to a paper that is taped off the side of her bed.

The two of us walk into the room and stand side-by-side to read the hand-written letter without pulling it off of the bed.

 _Dear Sister and Ice Queen,_

 _Took Blake into town to take her mind off of things. Probably won't be back until after midnight._

 _Ruby, there's a half gallon of milk for you in the fridge. Blake wasn't in the mood for it._

 _Weiss, I know it's rude, but if you could spare me a couple of lien to my account I'd_ _ **really**_ _appreciate it. I'll pay it back with a full body massage! Professionally done, I promise._

 _Signed_

 _The Busty, Beautiful Blonde._

"Your sister is a piece of work." I say and take the paper down to give to Ruby in case she isn't done reading it.

"Well, at least she took Blake out . . . it may help." Ruby defends her sister.

"I suppose." I shrug. Thankfully they left my bolero on top of my bed which makes it easy for me to pull out my scroll and open up one of my accounts to transfer some funds over to Yang.

"You're going to send her something?" Ruby asks after taking a brief look at my scroll, but then starts to walk to the fridge, possibly to take Yang's offer on the milk.

"Yes, I think 150 would suffice as a helping hand." I decide while I search for Yang's account.

"She'll really appreciate it. Yang doesn't ask for favors involving money, so you can expect her to do her best to pay it back when she can." Ruby says while she shuffles through the fridge to get the half gallon of milk.

"We're friends, she won't need to pay it back." Just as I say that I find Yang's account and enter the amount I said earlier. "Besides, I want Blake to have a good time . . . she deserves it."

"Well, I hope Yang has enough to do that." Ruby murmurs, but I manage to pick up on it.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she does." Just as I say that I smile and add one more zero to the amount before I begin the transfer. Once I get confirmation that it's been completed I place my scroll down and sigh. "It's the least I can do."


	10. Painting The Town

_Here's chapter 10. The next chapter after this may not be out for a couple of days because I need to take care of a few college assignments._

 _As always, leave a review and tell me what you think of the chapter, so far I only have one person reviewing regularly with compliments and critiques that I can work with. Give me a hand guys so I can dish out better content for you!_

 _Also, yes . . . The Title is a Volume 2 reference . . . There are also two returning outfits you should recognize by name alone._

 _Happy reading!_

* * *

 _ **POV: YANG XIAO LONG**_

 _ **Chapter 10 - Painting The Town**_

"Alright, Blake. Start spilling it." The moment I close the door behind me those are the first words to leave my lips.

Now that we're in the privacy of our room, Blake takes off Weiss' bolero from her head and folds it as nicely as she can on top of Weiss' bed. Her ears flutter and dance to fight away the temperature of the room that contrasts to the warmth of Weiss' usual jacket. Blake has all intentions of not talking about her feelings, and while I want to get answers from her, I also need to respect the fact that she's injured in a way I can't imagine.

I take the chance to go into the fridge and take out a can of Monster, then choose to pull out a half gallon of milk so I can pour Blake a cup. Before I start pouring I glance in Blake's direction after the distinct sound of popping the plastic cap off of the container, only for Blake to look over her shoulder and shake her head at me.

 _No milk? Wow._

I don't press the matter and place the milk back in the fridge, but I do decide to take out a second can and toss it at Blake after giving her a head's up. The catches the can with one hand and much to my surprise, doesn't waste time in opening and taking a good chug. When she's satisfied with the lingering taste in her mouth, she places her can down on Weiss' nightstand and goes back to Weiss' bed to fold and organize the clothes on the laid out suitcase.

In the meantime I take a seat on her bed to watch, debating on what sort of approach I need to take on the issue. This isn't exactly easy, and I'm sure Blake's sorrow could switch to a raging anger at anytime. She's already pissed at me, I don't want to make it worse.

Unfortunately, I don't know Blake's struggles, I don't know how she grew up. The only thing I know is that she left The White Fang, she chose her own path by coming to Beacon, and she just got her heart torn because of the path she chose. For all I know it could've been easy for her to hide behind a mask and let people see her as a monster . . . she would've been with people who understood her pains and difficulties, but I'm glad she stepped away from that. She chose a cleaner life and I got to meet her because of it.

"I won't go with the whole 'I understand how you feel' crap. I don't understand, I may never understand, and I won't try to understand. All I can do is try to help you through it and make you feel better." While I speak I keep my eyes on her to see any change in her body language. No result.

 _Talking may not work . . . I guess I should just wait with her._

I take another few sips from my can before I take a different approach on the entire situation. I place the can down on Blake's nightstand, then make my way over to her. She doesn't look at me even though she knows I'm right behind her, and instead appears to be organizing Weiss' clothes into roughly six piles of clothing: Underwear, bras, tops, skirts, pants and shorts.

While Ice Queen doesn't exactly have a lot of shorts, she does have a few nice ones that look like they'd be great for a summer day of fun. I watch Blake's organizing method with a bit of interest, mainly because I'm curious what Weiss has in terms of underwear. The first thing I notice are a pair of light-blue lace panties and a matching bra that has a white bow in between the cups. If it weren't for the shock that Weiss had something I can honestly consider _**sexy**_ , I'd probably be upset that it _**isn't**_ a front clasp bra.

 _I wonder if Ruby's seen this one yet . . . Doubt it, Weiss wouldn't plan for that._

The next thing I notice is somewhat of a see-through light-blue skirt that fades to a darker blue the closer to get to the bottom. With how thin the fabric is, I'm left with no choice but to assume it's meant to go with some other outfit, possibly with swimwear to have a nice look at the beach. I wonder if Ice Queen even has beach clothes. She doesn't seem like the 'outdoorsy' type.

"Weiss has some pretty nice outfits . . . I'm a little jealous." I admit to a silent Blake who continues to organize each pile, even having any matching outfits on the same row of each piling column of clothes.

"I like her lace." Blake says in a near whisper. With the tone of her voice it's easy to tell she's still depressed, but I'm a elated to finally hear her speak.

"I didn't figure you for a lace girl. I know one of the places for our date now!" I sike myself up. Ironically, Coco's favorite clothing store just got rebuilt and the grand re-opening was today. I think taking Blake there for a little bit of a clothing run would be fun. I may find something I want, too.

Since Blake is still working on Weiss' wardrobe, I pull down Ruby's suitcase and begin to organize my sister's clothes even though most of the mare already put together in a pretty neat way. If I had to guess, Weiss probably took the time to make sure Ruby's suitcase was proper and voila, perfectly organized suitcase from a very unorganized Rubes.

I decide not to let that discourage me. Instead of trying to find a better way to organize everything, I begin to put her clothes into the proper drawer, having little difficulty with finding a place for her unmentionables with how little she has since she doesn't spend her time looking for anything cute and sexy to wear for Weiss . . . at least not yet.

"Yang?"

I hear my name being called just as I am finishing with the last of Ruby's clothes. I turn to Blake who is sitting down on Weiss' bed, all of the clothes organized and ready to be put in drawers. I'm sure Weiss will re-organize things later, or find a way to yell at me for her clothes being tampered with.

"What's up?" I ask. I move to Blake and take a knee next to her. I place both of my forearms on her left thigh and wait for her to say what she wants.

"Which ones are you wearing today?" Her question makes me raise an eyebrow, and instead of explaining herself, she chooses to reach over my shoulder and tug on my skirt, making me jump in surprise. ". . . I've never seen those."

"Oh, these?" I ask after I recover from the initial surprise. "Well, I kind of had these made before we left Patch . . . I wanted to surprise you with them sometime, but . . . things haven't exactly been up to par for me to show them off."

"They have text on them too, don't they?" Blake lets go of my skirt and starts to beckon me up to my feet. I take my forearms off of her lap and hold my hands out, palms down so she can place her hands underneath mine and give me something I can push off of to get to my feet.

"Duh, you know I can't have anything too ordinary. Nothing but the fun stuff for my Kit- for my Blakey." I correct, not wanting to use my nickname that revolves around her Faunus attribute considering the reason she's depressed.

"Show me." Blake says in her oldschool blunt tone.

"Aww! But I wanted them to be a surprise on a fun night or something! You know I love surprising you with these." I pout, but Blake's glare is unaffected by my response, leading me to sigh and nod my head. "Fine fine . . . but you're pulling my skirt and shorts down."

"You just want me to undress you." Blake observes. I'm glad to have her talking, hopefully it'll keep her mind off of what happened and on me . . . or my boyshorts, whichever works more.

"I mean, wouldn't you want to undress me?" I counter. I place both arms above my head and give my hips a little bit of a shake to mimic a bellydancer. The little tease makes Blake look up at me with that look of annoyance, but the smile on her lips lets me know she finds it humorous. "So, I'm not showing you just yet. No fun if you expect it."

"I guess." Blake groans and leans back to lay on Weiss' bed while her feet are still touching the floor. She spreads her arms apart to show off her full wingspan while staring absently at the bottom of Ruby's suspended mattress. "Yang . . . how much do you know about the White Fang?"

Her question catches me by surprise. To be honest I know little about them as a whole, and I'm not exactly sure what it is they stand for at this point. There's a difference between wanted to be respected as equals and wanted to be feared.

"Well, I know they're a bunch of extremists. Um . . . they've been pretty violent recently, and they hate the SDC." I answer after thinking about the question for a few seconds.

"Well they . . . we . . . weren't always like this. The White Fang was peaceful. We had peaceful protests that I was a part of since I was a little girl. Then . . . the head of The White Fang changed. He had different ideals that people were willing to listen to. PRetty soon our protests ended in violence, sometimes bloodshed. Before long things began to change." Blake sits up and guides me to sit next to her.

I place myself to her left, keeping my right leg on Weiss' bed so I can face her and listen to what she has to say. She mirror's my position and places her left leg on the bed, allowing our knees to touch.

"We were being treated like equals, but not out of respect. Out of fear. So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence. Instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress. So here I am, a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little, black bow."

"Well you're not like the rest of them, Blake. You knew what you were doing was wrong. It was for the right cause, but done the wrong way." I say, spreading my arms apart to offer a hug.

"The problem is . . . violence yields more results, Yang. Punching that guy's face in may have made him stop a lot quicker than trying to talk it out . . . but that wouldn't change anything in the long run. Do you know what the masks symbolize?" Blake places her leg down so she can turn away from me. When her back is in my sight, she leans back and leaves me to support her weight.

"I don't know. I thought they were just masks to identify each other and hide their identities." I admit to my naivety on the subject.

"The masks are a symbol. Humanity wanted to make monsters out of us, so we chose to don the faces of monsters. After a while I refused to wear that mask . . . I didn't like the idea of people thinking of us as monsters. We're people . . . we have families that we want to raise. All we want is to live peacefully and without fear of discrimination. Is that so wrong in this world?" Blake sniffles after she asks the rhetorical question.

"It's not, Blake . . . I don't know what's wrong with people. If they just got to know you then they'd understand." my arms wrap around Blake's torso so I can hold her firmly against my body. The thought of her about to cry while she's in my arms makes me shake. If I see a single tear fall from her eye . . . I swear I'll destroy him the next chance I get.

"I know that . . . Even Weiss took the time to know me after the initial shock went by. I consider that one of the bigger strides I've taken since leaving them. Being in Beacon's helped me see certain things differently . . . but the real challenge is when I leave here. That's when I'll either stand tall, or get crushed by the weight of the world."

"You'll stand tall. You always do." I say instantly. "Say . . . it may not be the most romantic thing but ummm . . . how about we take tonight for us? I know our date's supposed to be tomorrow but . . . I think we could both use the night out. How's that sound?"

"GRAVITYYYYY! . . . OOMPH!"

The loud shouting of my sister draws Blake and I to the window to see Ruby seated against a pillar with Weiss kneeling at her side.

"The junior couple is back. Well, Blake? Want to take the night out?" I look at her again while I lean against the windowsill to peek at what's going on with my sister and Ice Queen.

"Sure, let me just get a new ribbon." Blake walks towards her bed and opens up the drawer at her nightstand. She pulls out a ribbon that looks just like the one that was taken and wraps it carefully along her ears to take the form of a bow.

 _Ugh . . . Do I really have enough for this?_

I grit my teeth and hastily look around for a pen and paper. Once I both on the small desk near the door I jot down a note to Ruby and then a section for Weiss, hoping she decides to give me just a little bit of slack to make sure I can handle some of the extra taxes I'll be paying through the night.

"What are you writing?" Blake asks. I turn to see that she's currently in the bathroom, fixing her bow in the mirror to make sure it looks right.

"Just a note to let Rubes and Ice Queen know we're gonna be out." I half-lie. Once I have the note written I pull out my scroll to look at when the next airship departs. Much to my surprise it leaves in about two minutes.

"Hey Blake . . . ummm . . . We have less than two minutes to get to the airship." I say as calmly as possible.

Blake doesn't seem too phased by it and walks calmly out the bathroom towards the window of the room. She peeks out the window, gazing passed the courtyard to see if the airship is already at the docking station. Before I know it, Blake is waving at me and making her exit from the window, leaving me to slap a piece of tape on the note, toss it against the side of Ruby's bed and follow Blake out the window to beat the clock.

To keep up with Blake I dive out the window and end my landing with a somersault that leaves me with enough momentum to keep running at a full sprint. By the time I catch up to her, we're already slowing to a jog with the confidence that we made it just in time. The two of us make our way onto a slightly crowded airship to head down to Vale with a large group of students who have the same ideas as us: Enjoy the city while the Coliseum is packed.

During the airship ride I couldn't ask for a better view to start off our evening. Straight off the horizon is the perfect view of a setting sun with the bright rays dancing off the distant body of water. It's a little bright to look at directly, but it's a view that you can appreciate even if you're squinting the entire time. Blake seems to be enjoying the view a little more than me based on the fact that she placed one hand on the glass while she absorbs the view. It's good to see that she's perked up a bit, although I'm far more than certain that she's wearing a false mask for the time being. I'll make sure her smile is genuine before the night ends.

"You have anywhere in mind that you may want to go first, Kittycat?" I lean down so I don't have to talk over the conversations happening all around us.

"Let's just have a fun night, Yang. Take me to some of your hangouts . . . then maybe some dinner and a quiet walk. You don't need to do much . . . just put in effort." Blakes says back to me.

"My hangouts, huh? I know just the place." I grin.

I reach into my jacket and feel around for a zipper I keep shut. After a little bit of tapping around I find the zipper so I can open the pocket and reach in to find a keychain that holds a single key and a small remote. I hook the keychain with my middle finger and pull it out of my jacket to bring into Blake's view.

"Well, if that's the case . . . it looks like we're taking Bumblebee for a spin."

* * *

By the time the airship lands I feel my scroll begin to vibrate. I assume that it's a call from Weiss. Knowing her she's probably waiting to scold me for asking for lien and wants to call me a couple of names for offering a full body massage . . . which I _**DO**_ know how to do professionally. It was just a hobby I picked up thanks to a few internet videos.

"One sec, let me see who's calling me." I tell Blake while everyone else is leaving the airship.

I pull out my scroll and give a couple of quick swipes after seeing that it's not a call, but an update for my bank account. I'm glad to know Weiss came through for me, the little extra could help me buy Blake something cute at the end of the night before we head back to Beacon . . . Maybe I could get her a nightshade from a flower shop!

"Let's see . . . and there it is." I say to myself, seeing my new funds. "Alright, I have . . . huh?"

I look at the number again after feeling like it's an incorrect amount. I look at it two, three, and four times, convinced that it can't be right. To verify my suspicion I go into my account history and look for the last made transaction, and just like I asked for, Weiss gave me 150.00 lien. It shows that as an unnamed deposit.

"Whatever, I'll check it again later. Ready to go, Blake?" I smile and begin to walk out of the airship with her following.

"Wait, when did you bring your bike to Vale?" Blake asks after we get out of the docking area.

"Oh, I had Dad send it over when we left Patch for Atlas. It's in the garage right around the corner." I explain just as we're reaching the corner to a small one story building that has a single way in or out. Near the large gate is a small booth that I walk up to and find a security guard sitting down and placing Hearthstone to kill time.

"Hey, buddy . . . Mind if I come in and get my ride? Spot 3, motorbike." I say to get his attention. He only spares a moment to look at my direction, then presses a button to open the garage so Blake and I can go in.

It's a pretty damp area that has exactly twenty parking spots. This is one of four lots for Beacon students which lets me keep Bumblebee here for a small fee every month. I usually have that price deducted on its own every month, so I forget about it for the most part unless I realize I'm coming up short for the month.

The garage itself looks like a tiny section of a municipal parking area. The pillars that are neatly scattered about are all insulated to protect from any fires. The moment you enter the small garage you can see my bike sitting near one of the spots at the very front. I waste no time in getting her roaring and ready to take me and Blake out for the night. I already have our first spot in mind, but I think a quick stop for some clothe shopping would be nice. I don't want to go out in my usual outfit.

"So, how about we stop at a Coco's clothing store and get something nice to wear? Maybe something a little semi-casual?" I ask while I sit on top of Bumblebee and rev her engine a few times. My helmet is resting right between the handlebars and while I wait for Blake's answer I pick it up and start to place it on my head.

"Sounds like a nice idea. How far is the clothing store?" Blake asks. She seems to be a little familiar with Bumblebee already. She knows to lift up the very back of the seat to reveal a very deep compartment that has the passenger helmet that is completely black in contrast to the one I have which is yellow.

"I'd say about . . . 2 minutes from here with how I ride." I answer Blake who is already climbing onto the back of my bike and getting herself comfortable by wrapping her arms around my torso.

"Let's get going then."

"Alright, just remember to lean with-"

"Yang . . . I know how to ride shotgun on a motorcycle."

"Yes Ma'am."

Just as I figured, it only takes me two minutes to get to the square where Coco's clothing store is. Luckily enough, since most of the town is in the coliseum we manage to snag a parking spot right in front.

The two of us walk in and come to sight with a heaven of different outfits of so many styles and colors. You could find anything in here ranging from a gothic maid dress to a formal ball gown if you look in the right sections. However, Blake and I both seem to find our immediate matches that are being worn by two mannequins standing side by side.

"I want the Hunter." I say, looking at the beautiful collared cream top, black shirt, a bit of grey near the bottom of the top and a couple of black straps that help bring it all together. The top itself is made a little ridged near the bottom to make it look like it has a built in skirt which I find to be so freaking awesome! For pants the mannequin has on a pretty pair of black shorts that are probably a the same length as the ones I'm wearing now. The shorts have a vertical strap going down from them that end up linking to thigh-high black stockings. The outfit looks beautiful, and the scarf that's wrapped around the mannequin's neck makes me wonder if it'll bring out my eyes anymore.

"That'll look great on you. I'll take the Intruder." The outfit Blake manages to find is pretty plain, but in the sense that it's not too flashy, but still has its own unique flare to it. It's a white v-neck zip-up shirt that has black along the sides and comes up a bit short on the midriff, purposefully done to leave some belly exposed, and with Blake's slim figure she can make it work wonders. The sleeves appear to be able to cover up the elbows while leaving the forearms exposed. The outfit comes with a sexy looking pair of black pants that have a single white stripe going from the hip, straight down the outer thigh and stopping a couple of inches down from the top it all off it comes with a belt that has a frilly black backskirt attached to it that fades into a midnight-purple once it reaches the bottom.

There's no hesitation between Blake and I. The two of us snag the outfits we want, pay for them at the front and immediately run for a changing room to put them on. I'm reminded again that I need to check the funds of my card, especially after the cashier scans my account from my scroll and practically loses her cool for a couple of moments. I guess that means I blew everything I had on only two outfits . . . Thankfully I can arrange for free drinks with where we're going.

The only change I find myself making to the outfit is putting the lilac scarf along my left hip, tucked into the belt to let it hang and sway with my steps. If I kept it around my neck like it was on display then it'd possibly cover up my best asset, and we don't want that now do we?

Once we're both out of the changing room we take a moment to pose and twirl for each other to show off how the outfits look. Blake takes out her scroll to snap a few photos of me, then I take out mine to take a couple of her before we're satisfied with ourselves and head out the door.

So far things are starting off smooth. Blake is happy, she seems to be loving her new outfit, and I'm getting to see her in a bit of a new environment. With our old clothes tucked in our arms we decide to stash them in the back compartment of Bumblebee knowing they'll be safe there since the seat won't lift unless Bumblebee's key is in the ignition. Once we have both of our old clothes put away we climb back onto the bike, put on our helmets and get ready to go to our first real stop of the evening.

"So, where to, Yang?" Blake asks out of curiosity.

"We're gonna see an old friend of mine. The place is called The Club." I say before I flick my wrist and let Bumblebee reel back onto one wheel while we accelerate to a speed I deem comfortable for cruising. The night's still young and I have every intention of making sure Blake has the best time of her life.


	11. Snow Leopard's Night Watch

_So, this chapter is a little interesting. The real advance here is towards the end where I reference an event from my very first fic, which I'm sure some of you will appreciate. I'm sure a lot of you will see where things are leading. The plot twists are incoming, and damnit I have them more thought out than I usually do. If I manage to remake a beautiful work of chapter strings like the Prom arc I'll be the happiest man alive!_

 _I'm still a little surprised at how many people are angry at my Mercury o.o Either I have a really dark personality . . . or I just have a knack for pissing people off with lesbian jokes._

 _As always, please leave a review! The end of this chapter is going to remind everyone that this is an AU. Parallel to canon, but still an AU nonetheless!_

 _If anyone gets the joke with the title I'll die of laughter._

 _ENJOY_

* * *

 _ **POV: ? ? ?**_

 _ **Chapter 11 - Snow Leopard's Night Watch**_

"SCHNEE!"

All at once everything comes to an end.

A fight that completely enveloped the courtyard of Beacon ends with such an anti-climactic payoff. One second I'm ready to witness one of the most dangerous weapons ever developed be used in actual combat, then the next that weapon's being put away mid-combat.

"Well this ending sucks." I say with folded arms. A blade sits centimeters away from Mr. Qrow's throat, but all movement has ceased with the simple call out of the Schnee name.

"G-General Ironwood, Sir!" Winter turns her back on Qrow who looks in my direction and mouths the words _**She's in trouble**_ to me.

"What do you think you're doing?" My eyes drift by Mr. Qrow and Winter to see the well-postured man standing with his arms behind his back. Just by the primarily white uniform alone I can tell that he's from Atlas. He has well combed out black hair with a couple of silver streaks off to the side, somewhere above his ears. His white overcoat is complimented by what I assume to be a grey vest underneath. Underneath the vest I can make out a red tie, and finally a black dress shirt of some sort underneath that. I feel like sweating just by looking at him with all the layers he is wearing.

The guy looks like he's been hit far too many times in the head, especially with the metal strip that is on the right side of his forehead. I wouldn't be surprised to know that Mr. Qrow did that while he was in one of his more 'smartass drunk' phases, much like the one he's in now.

"He started the altercation, sir." Winter speaks with haste.

I watch as the so-called General takes a couple of steps forward while Winter speaks, quite ready to snap at Mr. Qrow I assume since he did sort of provoke things.

"That's actually not true, she attacked first." Qrow corrects after stepping off to the side to come into view of the General.

 _Well . . .he's not wrong._

All the while I take note of the orange-haired girl with the pink bow and green eyes. She seems completely surprised at what's going on, but that face is more of a child who has no clue of what to expect instead of having a look of shock at the debris and craters being left all around the area from the recent battle.

"Is that right?" Ironwood asks Winter, but the elder of the Schnee sisters refuses to answer and lowers her head to give a verbal confirmation. If I tried to do that with Qrow he'd smack me upside the back of my head. After a couple of seconds of silence, Ironwood turns his attention to Qrow. "And you."

 _Talk about a hostile hello . . ._

Mr. Qrow points at himself in an innocent manner, trying to play it off that he's partly responsible for the gathered crowd and craters of destruction left all around the entrance to the prestigious academy.

The two of them step a little closer together and begin to talk at a level that keeps the conversation between themselves. If I really wanted to, I could tune in to hear what they're saying, but I'm a little distracted at how nervous Winter looks right now. It's like she got sent back in time to grade school and is being told off by her dad or something. It's a look that I find myself enjoying a little too much. Who would think that I'd have a sense of humor for the discomfort of others?

Maybe it's just because she's a Schnee? Yeah, let's go with that.

"Now, now everyone. There is a sanction fight happening just around the corner at the coliseum. That I can assure you has better seats. And popcorn. " My eyes turn to see a grey-haired man with a black jacket and a green sweater of some sorts underneath. In his hand is a coffee mug that has an emblem that is an X made of two axes. That emblem is unmistakably Vale's.

Standing just behind him is a tall, busty blonde with bright green eyes and a cute pair of glasses. She has a white, long sleeve top with a keyhole neckline that shows her collarbone off as well as a small amount of breast. Flowing behind her back is a purple cape that makes me think she could classify as a witch of some kind, I'd be lying if I said she doesn't have the appeal of a teacher I wouldn't mind having detention with . . . although when she speaks up, her attitude turns me off almost instantly.

"Break it up everyone." The blonde woman speaks, throwing her arm in a violent manner to enforce her words for the crowd to scatter.

 _. . . Why do all the blondes I know have an attitude problem? It's really annoying._

I watch on as Ironwood and Winter start following the grey-haired man who appears to be a bit old than Mr. Qrow . . . even though I consider Mr. Qrow the geezer in almost any situation. With the attention diminishing around him I decide to step back to his side and nudge him in the rib with my left elbow to get his attention.

"So, who's the blonde teacher? She's got some nice eyes." I admit to him but the moment I talk about her, he sighs and drops a heavy hand on my head.

"Her attitude is a huge put off . . . Worst than Yang's even." He says just before his name is called.

"Qrow." The grey-haired man calls out while the blonde woman gives a wave of some sort of wand-riding crop thing that makes me imagine her as some sort of low-key Dominatrix. When she waves the wand around I watch as the scattered patches of concrete begin to reform and fit into one of the craters that destroyed the walkway of the academy.

"Think I'm in trouble?" He asks me in a near whisper.

"You destroyed the place and you haven't been here for ten minutes . . . What do you think?" I roll my eyes at him. "We shouldn't have stopped at that bar."

"It isn't that bad . . . me and Oz go way back. Come on."

I blindly follow behind the drunken Huntsman and Signal teacher into the completely unknown academy. While walking by I take my time to look around, seeing so many different faces and surprisingly most of the mare faunus and human alike. The beautiful grasslands that extend to the cliffsides of the large academy make me feel somewhat peaceful with the given scenery that contrasts to Patch's rural, treeline placement.

The longer we walk on the stone pathway, the closer we're lead towards some giant tower that practically overlooks the entire area. Surrounding the tower are buildings that I assume to either be where lessons are taught, or where students house themselves. I never went passed Signal so I don't exactly know how an academy is set up. Which is unfortunate since I think I would've been the perfect party animal at an academy.

When we finally reach the towering structure everyone enters the elevator but I'm told to wait outside. It's a little upsetting to come all this way just to wait downstairs, but I guess he has his reasons.

The base of the tower has a small lobby area that has a single elevator in it. Aside from that the lobby itself is completely empty aside from the doorway that leads outside. Just outside are several pillars that are all lined up single-file, but they're all rather spaced out to give the area that 'monument' sort of feel to it.

While I wait outside I decide to find a nearby pillar just out the front door to keep myself occupied with. I find myself locating certain marks in the pillars and tapping them with swift, light kicks. After each kick I'd add one more to the previous chain, creating my own memory game while also forcing myself to do it with the use of only one leg, making it a game of memory, balance, and technique.

After a couple of minutes I hear the elevator settling down at the lobby. I turn towards it with a smile, expecting Mr. Qrow to be the one exiting. My smile completely fades away when I'm met with the light blue eyes of the elder Schnee sister. She simply stands in the elevator despite the doors behind wide open and stares at me while I return her glare.

"Can I help you?" I finally ask with dripping hostility in my voice. She chooses to ignore my question and exits the elevator. I pay close attention to her walking outside through the same doorway I took, and then leans against another nearby pillar while still keeping her eyes on me.

"Don't mind me . . . I'm simply killing time." She mutters in a dismissive way that infuriates me. The arrogance in her tone taunts me to let her know that I'm far superior to her, but the last thing I want is to destroy something right after what happened with Mr. Qrow and her . . . although the thought of fighting her does excite me.

"Can't you kill time somewhere else? You aren't exactly desirable company." I spit and go back to my kicking-memory game, although I'm forced to start over since I can't remember the pattern I did last.

"People would consider it an honor to be in the presence of a Schnee, I'll have you know." She retaliates, and those words are enough to set me off.

"That's exactly what's wrong with you people!" I shout. I lower my leg back down, abandoning my little memory game so I can walk up to the arrogant Schnee. "You think you're all so cool because you got money up the ass. That ain't how life works. A lot of us work hard for what we have. A lot of us fight for what we love. A lot of us are left exhausted, broken, battered, and discarded at YOUR family's facilities because all they care about is lien, lien, lien."

"You're just as naive as you claim I am arrogant." She answers with folded arms while still leaning against the pillar. "I don't call the shots . . . neither does my sister. You get angry over humans discriminating Faunus because of the White Fang . . . yet you're more than willing to be the same hypocrite and assume a Schnee is born into accepting the hate of this world without question. Have you taken the time to speak with me? You've let your reluctance, stubbornness, ideologies and pride get the better of you . . . That is the difference between you and I. That is why I am better."

"Really?" I ask while stepping into her face. It's not quite as effective when the person is taller, but I'm not going to be intimidated by some no good racist **bitch**. "Then why the hell would you have a pair of heels that _**destroy**_ my eardrums with each step? That's not self-defense. It's downright _**torture**_ just to walk by a Faunus for them to keel over in pain!" I scream while point at her heels.

"Let me ask you a question." She remains against the pillar, not moving a muscle since I've moved closer. "How did I get here?"

"What?" I raise an eyebrow, wondering what kind of question that could be.

"Fine, I'll make it a multiple choice question: Did I A) Walk. B) Fly C) Teleport or D) Get carried." Her eyes shift to me, demanding an answer that I'm a little confused about.

"Well you can't walk from Atlas to Beacon." I debate, but then get cut off.

"I mean to this very spot. How did I get into this very spot, against a pillar and talking to a know-nothing Faunus." She snarls, adopting a more hostile attitude.

"Well obviously you walked you stupid shit!" I snarl right back.

"And your ears didn't hurt, did they? Despite me wearing the _**exact same**_ heels as that day." She points out. I pause for a moment, digesting what she just said, then carefully take a step back.

"Those can't be the exact same then/ Maybe the same style . .. but not-"

"They are the _**EXACT**_ heels I wore that day. Do you know why?" She asks and steps off of the pillar for the first time. "They contain black dust inside them, making it easy for me to climb surfaces . . . which you saw me do earlier during my battle with that drunkard teacher of yours. Do you want to know what factor changed between now and when you were at the Manor?" She asks rhetorically. At this point I'm taking slow steps backwards while she's advancing, which is not like me at all. I'd be more than willing to stand toe to toe with her and prepare for a battle that'll end with one of us bloodied and in a wall.

"The difference is?" I finally ask, making her stop in her slow advance.

"The surface I'm walking on. I was told that the metal and dust fusion would hit certain faunus on a frequency that's incomprehensible to humans. It turns out one of the surfaces is marble, and apparently it affects Cheetah fauna. Now . . . while that is an unfortunate mistake, do _**NOT**_ expect me to apologize with your approach on the matter. I'll let you off with a warning this time . . . but do not test my patience."

For once I have someone that's not afraid to walk up to me. After showing my physical prowess to Snow Angel I got respect from her. Sunflower and I had a relationship that started because of our physical abilities, and even Mr. Qrow respects my ability to fight, but he's not afraid to walk up to me either . . . although I consider him a special case for obvious reasons.

"So . . . if you weren't hostile with me because of," I take a moment to gesture at my ears, "then what was the attitude with me callin' you Snow Angel by mistake back at your place?" I ask, looking to find out the truth, especially after she claims she's not a racist.

"Because I will not have my reputation tarnished because of my sister's choices in terms of her gender preferences." She sighs and turns around to walk back towards her pillar.

"Oh, so you're _**homophobic**_ then?" I ask with a clear attitude. My question makes her turn right back around and step back up to my face with a surprising quick step that it makes me jump, forcing my back against the pillar I was at earlier. At the same time I raise my right leg up, ready for a fight if she's going to give it.

"You will _**never**_ utter such a thing to me. I have no quarrels with the choices people make, with how they were born, or with their decisions in life. My quarrels are with The White Fang, and those who dare disrupt the peace within our Kingdoms." She takes another step forward, forcing me to throw out my right leg on reflex. Surprisingly she reaches down to her left hip and pulls her blade far enough from the sheath to guard from my attack before letting her weapon fall back into its holder while also hooking my thigh with her arm. "If I were anything you assumed me to be, I'd be disgusted at the mere sight of you."

"I get it . . . I want my leg back." I state rather bluntly.

Instead of respecting my demand she yanks on my leg, forcing me to hold both of my hands out to her shoulders to avoid getting pulled into her and possibly collide heads. After I stop myself I try to yank my leg away from her with little result, realizing that she has a glyph directly below her that seems to be acting as a way to keep her firmly planted in her spot.

"You don't get it. You've _**never**_ gotten it. _**You never will 'get it'**_. I am **nothing** like my Father. I will not openly say I dislike him like my sister has the habit of doing, but I will not accept anyone to believe I am in his shadow and under his influence. I do not care that you are a Faunus. I do not care that you're affectionate with your own gender." her grip seems to tighten on my leg, making me abandon my attempts to let go for now . . . She's not hurting me or anything, and I don't want to use my semblance to calm her down. She's actually kind of cute when she's pissed off.

"Hey. Snap out of your little anger rant before I kick you with my other leg." I stand there with my arms folded, expecting her to let go now that her little rant is over. I can't say I entirely understand her point, but I do digest the fact that she isn't racist in any way . . . and that's enough to diffuse me for the time being.

"You couldn't land a kick on me in this position if my eyes were closed. This happens to be one of the restraining methods we're taught as Specialists. You only have one means to balance, and if you fail to land your second attack, then you're far too open to be exploited. You are, however, welcomed to try your luck. I have yet to be impressed." She glares at me with disinterest, something that has always pissed me off. I refuse to be underestimated by _anyone_.

Without giving any verbal warning I pull my left leg into the air and direct my knee straight for the side of her head. At first I don't see any visible attempts from her to block it, but suddenly a one of those see-through circle things that I've seen from Snow Angel appears right next to the side of her head, and instead of the white color I'm used to seeing, this one is black.

My knee slams into the created surface with an electrified screech following., only for my knee to be held there and quite literally stuck onto the surface. The awkwardness of it all is that now I have one thigh under her left armpit, and my right knee next to her head.

"Like I said . . . you can't land a hit on me from this position." She says with an overconfident snicker.

"Yeah well . . . Speaking of positions." I start, glaring at the fact that she has both of my legs restrained and that has my pelvis perfectly leveled with her face. The hesitation and awkwardness when I first started talking fades and is switched with a tone of flirtation. "I didn't think a Schnee would be this _**kinky**_. If you wanted to lick you should'a just asked." I purr.

The confident look on her face changes to a bright red blush. All in one motion she releases my knee and arm letting me land in a crouched position while she takes several steps back to build a sizable gap between the two of us.

"What kind of perverted cat are you!? I have no intentions of participating in such a heinous act!"

"Heinous?" I ask while taking a step forward, resulting in the elder Schnee sister to step back. "There's _**nothing**_ wrong with my game . . . Give me five- no, give me two minutes of your time. What's heinous is the fact that you haven't experienced it yet." I smirk, changing the battlefield to a realm I dominate in.

"Shun?" Mr. Qrow's voice calls out to me in a very questioning manner.

 _Just when things were getting good . . ._

"Yes?" I place my hands behind my back and twirl around to look at Mr. Qrow with a crooked grin that almost makes me look snaggletoothed.

"Leave the girl alone. You're making her question her sexuality." He sighs and starts to guide my away from Winter. "Besides, we're going to go see Little Ice Queen and her crimson guardian." He jokes.

"Snow Angel and Ruby? What for?" I ask, completely forgetting about Winter now that we're already on our path to somewhere else.

"I need to check in on them about someone . . . I have my suspicions after hearing Oz tell me about a power spike Weiss had a while back . . . and Ruby making use of one of my gadgets to prolong her hospital time." He explains while we continue to walk. "Why're you following, Ice Queen?"

"If I'm hearing right . . . Whatever you discussed involves my sister. I have all rights to accompany you." She says in that stuck-up way I figure all Schnee's talk.

"Whatever," Qrow shrugs, "I'll leave you and Shun in the hallway to get better acquainted."

"I'm against that notion." She says without hesitation.

"Too bad. The vote's two to one." I smirk, finding a new pastime I can use to keep myself entertained while we're around.


	12. Blake Meets The Third

_Welp, here's chapter 12 . . . and I ended up doing exactly what I didn't want to x.x_

 _I broke 5k words._

 _So, you all get to enjoy a longer chapter, but don't think those are coming normally xD It takes a while to write those, especially since I'm trying to be a little bit better with my tone and all that junk._

 _On a separate and funny note, a friend of mine ended up reading Chapter 62 of my first fic . . . and after that piece of smut she wants to watch RWBY now xD . . . Not sure if she just really likes girl on girl, or if I did a damn good job with that one :P_

 _On top of that, my OC drawing is getting closer and closer to being finished! All the shadings are done and the only thing that needs to be taken care of is coloring and so on! I'm so excited!_

 _As always, please enjoy and leave a review . . .like seriously, 5-fucking-k words . . . Give me a break and give me feedback . . . I had so little to work on off of last chapter so I couldn't exactly pump this one out as quick as I wanted to -,-_

 _ **HELP. ME.**_

 _Okay I'm done._

 _Oh yeah, one final thing! Only one person commented on the RWBY Chibi reference :( iwas expected more people to notice it, and also, the joke from the last chapter's title was Snow Leopard is a ship name (Blake and Winter) and Night Watch is another ship name (Qrow and Winter) . . . Was kinda making a joke there Q.Q You guys suck._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12 - Blake Meets The Third.**_

"So what is this place supposed to be, exactly?" I ask while looking around the small 10-space parking lot behind what I assume to be our destination. The marking lot has five spaces for vehicles on each side, and I can't help but feel inconsiderate for a single bike to take up one whole space.

"A friend of mine owns the place. I figured we'd come here, enjoy some music, then we could go grab something to eat. Besides, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Aren't you supposed to get food _**then**_ go to the alcohol?"

The sun made its final peek at Beacon over 10 minutes ago, leaving us with the occasional street lamp as a beacon of safety from whoever could be looming nearby . . .for them at least. I feel terrible for whoever would make an attempt to mug Yang and I. Just knowing how Yang can be when she's in a good mood is bad, if someone were to piss her off abruptly then it surely will not end well.

We've already dismounted Bumblebee, and I have to admit that her bike is growing on me. It rides so smoothly and isn't as loud as most of the other motorbike's I've seen - and heard. On top of that has a sizable amount of seating room. If I wanted to I could probably sit with my back to Yang and let my legs rest on what remains in terms of seating space. This is only the second time I've rode on Bumblebee, but I will say with confidence that I'm more than content with the way her bike handles - despite me not knowing first-hand how it feels to drive a motorcycle.

"This place is cool, Blake. Trust me on this." Yang says while she's busy stuffing our helmets into the storage compartment of her bike. "Besides, I think we both need a couple of drinks to forget all the bullshit that's gone on."

Thinking back to everything that's happened the past few days, Yang is right. It's been drama after drama, although it's all been manageable in the end. Today was just the icing on the cake that brought it all crashing down.

"Do they serve White Atlesians?" I ask, earning a look of confusion from Yang. "The drink, genius." I elaborate.

". . . Should I make the joke now or later?" Yang asks, but then nods her head to answer my question.

A White Atlesian is a common drink in Atlas. It's made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and Kahlua. However, there is one more ingredient which is why Yang mentioned if she should make the joke or not. The joke is the fact that a White Atlesian has milk as one of its ingredients.

"Make the joke if you want. I think it's a good drink." I shrug.

I've rarely indulged myself with alcohol. In fact, I make a point not to, but one day I found myself curious as to what kinds of alcoholic drinks exist and the ingredients of the White Atlesian charmed me enough that I made a point to make one just for the sake of trying it. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed.

"Never had one. I usually go for a Monster Mixer." Yang says after she finishes storing the helmets.

Now that she's done securing Bumblebee we turn the corner to exit the small alleyway parking lot so we can make our way to the front door of 'The Club' as Yang calls it. From the exit of the car-wide alley we turn left and find ourselves standing in front of a large double door with two men dressed in black with red ties and red shades stand.

What makes me raise an eyebrow is the fact that they both look our way, then immediately run into the club to shut the doors. As they run off I can hear one of them say something along the lines of 'hurry, close the door'. Immediately I turn to Yang, assuming it was her they were paying more attention to, but the blonde seems unaffected and casually walks up to the door with me following with a sizable distance out of fear for what may be beyond it.

"It doesn't look like they want us in there." I say, knowing Yang won't be listening to me on this.

"Psh, they love me here. I bet they're all at the door ready to give me a big fat-" Yang stops mid-sentence while trying to push the doors open with little success.

"See? Told you." I state rather flatly while Yang continues to ignore the fact that she's not wanted.

"Nah, they just forgot to leave it open . . . I have the key right here." Yang swings both of her arms down, exposing her Ember Celica into their true gauntlet form. Knowing very well what's about to come next, I take a few steps back and watch on as Yang lets out a full power cross that shatters a hole right through the large door with the assistance of an explosive buckshot.

 _I thought tonight was going to be relaxing,_

With little choice left in the matter I follow behind Yang as she walks through the debris with complete confidence and familiarity in her walk. I don't think it'd be that much of a longshot to say that she's done this before.

"Guess whose back!" Yang announces as she steps through the debris. When I'm able to make my way through the smoke I stop in my tracks to see the entire entrance is blocked by a semicircle of men all in the same attire as the two from earlier. Each of them has a semi-automatic weapon in their hand, and behind them I notice a few more men with katana-like blades at the ready.

With the debris settled and the slight ringing in my ears gone I pick up on a more annoying sound. The DJ appears to have been spooked by the commotion, leaving the current second or so of music audio to repeat itself until I finally hear the needle be taken off of the disk, giving me time to enjoy a brief silence.

I keep an eye on Yang, noticing her slowly changing her posture after posing in the doorway. I think it's finally settled into her head that she's definitely not welcomed here. I start to reach over my shoulder, figuring if she's going to get into a mosh pit I may as well be ready to help her, but thankfully a voice calls out from behind the group, diffusing the situation in an instant.

"Stop, stop! Nobody. Shoot." A deep, husky voice calls out. Shortly after I can see someone make a path through the guards. He's wearing a similar outfit to the rest, but instead of all black, he has a black vest with a white undershirt. To further differentiate himself from the rest he isn't wearing anything on his head and has his looked completed with a moustache-beard combo that appears to be very well kept.

"Blondie! You're here . . . . Why?" He asks Yang with an easily identifiable look of discomfort just from being within Yang's immediate proximity.

"You still owe me a drink." As Yang says that she reaches behind her with her right hand to snag my wrist and drag me along. With her left hand she keeps pointing at him until she's close enough to begin pushing him through the guards that quickly spread out to make way.

With the situation diffused and the music coming back on, I take the time to look around the large club setting. I'm surprised to see it resembles the club in Atlas a lot. The dance floor is a collection of color-changing tiles, and off to the left of the dance floor (when looking from the doorway) is the wide bar setup with enough seats to assure most who want a drink can sit down to enjoy. On the side of the room furthest from the door is a DJ booth that is elevated by about one story, assuring that nobody can get too close and risk harming the equipment. To the right side of the room are several lounging areas including what appears to be a curtained doorway that probably leads somewhere peaceful, or somewhere perverse. I don't plan on finding out.

Yang's commotion drew the eyes of a large amount of people in the club. Most were on the dance floor enjoying themselves when she decided to burst in. Thankfully it seems that the attention on us is reducing by the second, leaving little to no people looking at us when Yang finishes guiding (dragging) me to the bar with her.

"Strawberry Sunrise, Junior. No ice." Yang says and makes herself comfortable on one of the black stools. "Oh, and one of those little umbrellas."

I take my seat next to her while the man known as Junior walks behind the bar to prepare Yang's drink.

The countertop of the bar is a glistening black and makes it easy for me to see my own reflection as well as the reflection of the club lights. It's amazing how clean the bar is kept. Soon enough, Junior makes his way back with Yang's drink, presenting it on the table first before dropping Yang's umbrella into it.

"Oh, and she wants a White Atlesian." Yang says to him.

"How old is she?" Junior asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Does it matter? You just gave an under aged girl a drink. What harm comes from a second?" I rebuttal.

"I'm just taking a count. I've been getting more customers and most of them are roughly seventeen or eighteen. Of course I can't start kicking them out, I'll lose most of my business. So, how old are you?" He asks again before kneeling down to begin preparing my drink.

"Seventeen, Junior. Same as Yang." I answer when he stands back up and leaves my drink on the counter.

"So, Blondy. Why are you here?" Junior asks Yang with a slight trace of hostility, confirming my assumptions that she's definitely blown through that door before . . . or left a giant mess.

"Just here to relax, Junior." Yang says after taking a sip of her drink. "I won't cause trouble this time around, Blake'll make sure of it."

 _What did she do the last time she was here?_

I lift up my drink and take a sip, testing how much alcohol was put into it. Much to my surprise there's just the right amount, but for some reason the drink has a much stronger taste than I recall. My first sip sends a shiver through my spine and I feel inclined to take another sip immediately in an attempt to debate what could be in the drink.

"Hey!" Junior shouts at me after I take my second sip which stops me from going for a third. "Drink it easy, I added a pinch of ground catnip. I didn't think you'd react to it like that." He sighs. "You need a new drink?"

"Junior . . . why would you put catnip in her drink?" Yang quickly stands up, forcing me to throw out my right foot to push her back into the chair.

"Let him explain, Yang." I sigh at her and take a smaller sip now that I'm aware of the mystery ingredient.

"Blondy, you have any idea how many faunus come here? I also took the liberty of buying Anise seeds . . . they're essentially the same thing as catnip, but they work on canine faunus instead. It's all business..." Junior explains while stepping away from Yang.

"I don't care that you gave her catnip. I want to know how you could tell she was a cat faunus!" Yang shouts, making me stare at her. I find her priority question in this situation is completely off . . . but it's definitely something she would want to know over anything else. Knowing Yang she would've asked him to drop catnip in it if she knew that he was aware of my faunus heritage.

"Her ears aren't too fond of the music . . . they keep twitching." Junior points at my head, leading Yang's eyes to my bow.

"Oh . . . yeah, that's a dead giveaway." Yang agrees after looking at the top of my head. "Blake, you should've told me that loud music messes with you."

"I told you that you'd plan things out, Yang. I don't mind being here since it's one of your hangouts. Besides," I start to say before taking a sip of my drink, "I get to have a drink I haven't touched in a while."

In truth, the music wasn't bothering me too much. It was mildly irritating to be in an area that has two of the things completely opposite from what I enjoy which are silence and privacy. Yang on the other hand enjoys and feels right at home in this kind of environment. We truly are complete opposites in most cases, yet the way we act with each other suggests we have an endless amount of similar interests which may not be entirely true.

"Oh, where are the Twins? I want Blake to meet 'em." I try to hone in on Yang's voice while she refers to 'the twins'. She did say that there was someone she wanted me to meet, but from what I'm hearing it may be more than one.

"They're bringing drinks to tables. Give them about ten minutes to make it back." Junior tells her before walking off to serve another customer. After he walks away from earshot, Yang looks in my direction to receive a very questioning look.

"Twins?" I ask with a skeptical glare.

"Yeah, they're awesome." Yang says rather dismissively before taking another sip of her Sunrise. When she puts the glass down I realize that it's already halfway gone, making me question how large Yang's sips are.

"Didn't you use a singular pronoun when you told me you want to meet someone?" I ask, but Yang glares at me absently after my question.

"Single-pro-who now?" Yang asks, making me shake my head at her lack of vocabulary.

"I thought you only said you wanted me to meet one person, not two." I clarify. Just as I finish saying that I begin to hear the music in the club change to an artist I could live without hearing. "Why am I not surprised they have that Lamar Hall crap here?"

"Yeah, I want you to meet one of them, but I can't go telling the other to fuck off, right? And what's wrong with Lamar Hall?" Yang pouts after questioning my dislike of her favorite artist.

"He's not exactly a good inspiration, Yang. You heard what he did at that concert." I start.

"What concert? The one from a couple of months ago?"

"Yes, _that_ one. He had a bunch of people holding out their middle-fingers while he kept repeating ' _talking that shit'_. It's not exactly something to want to be remembered by." I explain, but Yang is quick to turn her swivel stool and glare at me.

"The name of the song _**is**_ _Talking That Shit_ , and it has an awesome message! **Don't take shit from no one!** My type of life lesson." Yang defends.

"You're a lost cause." I sigh and go back to my drink. While Yang has already finished hers, I'm still only halfway done with mine which makes me question just how much of a tolerance she has.

"I am not! Besides, you have that _you're so annoying, but I love it_ smile going on right now. You know I'm awesome. At least you're cheering up." Yang analyzes. It's a sad day to see that Yang's slowly getting closer to seeing through me. Slowly but surely it'll become impossible for me to tease her which will take out a good portion of my pastimes.

"Dress it however you want. Annoying will always be annoying." I dismiss and turn my head away Yang.

The next time I turn my head to look in her direction - which is no more than twenty seconds - she's nowhere near her stool. I begin to peek over my shoulders to see if I can find her anywhere with little luck.

 _Really Yang?_

I groan and turn myself around to start looking for her in the club. As reluctant as I am to get up I start to do so and wander towards the massive dance floor which is where 90% of the club attendees reside. I barely make it three steps before the lights of the club shut off and are soon replaced with random strobe lights that accompany the sound of dubstep.

 _Great . . . annoying lights_ _ **and**_ _annoying music._

Honestly, I am not too against dubstep depending on how focused it is on the rhythm in respect to the bass. Just because some music has heavy bass but a shitty rhythm doesn't make it dubstep.

I find myself having to place my hands on many of the partygoers' backs to make sure there aren't any collisions. After a moment of thinking I predict that she went towards the tables to find the person she wanted me to meet. Yang didn't think much at times, and that is fueled by her impatience. Instead of taking me along with her, she abandons me at a bar where anyone could come up and attempt to flirt with me - which I don't mind - and result in Yang breaking someone's jaw because she would assume I was being bothered by some creep.

Since the lights of the club went out I'm left with a slightly tougher time to see through the dark. Even though I have night vision it's still a difficult time looking through the many flickering lights since most tend to blind me when I start to adjust accordingly.

I shove my way by faceless shadows, all so I can get through the crowded, sweaty hell that's the club dance floor, but the longer I shimmy, the longer I push, the longer I shove, and the longer I sweat makes me debate if I'll ever find my way out.

I feel like while I push off people I end up getting redirected like a pinball through a never ending arcade game played by a master of tilting the machine, forever lost. Perhaps life in a crowd of people won't be so bad . . . My scent will be masked and I'll be able to hunt for food by pickpocketing chips from people wandering by to their tables. I can use the same method for securing drinks and anything else I'll need.

Just as I'm adapting to my new lifestyle I find myself getting shoved off of the dance floor and into an open area. To my surprise I've been thrown back out right where I had initially entered and in front of me is Yang sitting at her stool with two girls at her side. Both seem to be the same height, have the same hairstyle and have similar outfits on with the colors being the main variant. If I had to guess, those two must be the twins she wanted me to meet.

I decide to walk directly behind Yang, approaching patiently and nonchalantly to not draw any attention to myself. When I'm in listening range I stop and attempt hear what the conversation they're having is about.

"The whole thing with your ankle wasn't on purpose, Mel. I have your sis a chunk of my Pit earnings to help pay the rent that you couldn't work for. I'm not _**that**_ much of an asshole." Yang groans as she talks to the twin in white.

"I know that. Miltia told me everything. My thing is, why didn't you come see _**me**_ and tell _**me**_ what happened." The twin in white argues.

"Melanie, that's my fault. I practically slapped her when I saw her in Vale. I didn't want her anywhere near y-" The twin is cut off mid-sentence by Yang who idly raised her hand up.

"I didn't come because it was embarrassing for me." Yang starts and tilts her head back to chug down a shot of something. "I **hate** winning that way. If I didn't knock someone's lights out then it's not a win. That's how I like to live. I didn't give Miltia," Yang starts to say while snaking her arm around the twin in red and yanking the small form closer to her while she speaks to the twin in white, "that cash because I felt bad. I did it because I would never want someone to be off their feet because of me. It's not a good feeling, and I've waited on someone hand-and-foot before. I didn't mind it for a moment, but it was my fault she was like that too . . . I'm lucky she forgave me."

There's no doubt in my mind that Yang is talking about me when she says that. I decide that since I've been brought up to the conversation it's as good a time as any to make my presence known. I remain out of Yang's sight by walking up to her from behind, and when I get close enough I drape my arms over her shoulders to get her attention.

In reflex she jerks forward and let's go of Miltia, probably thinking I'll be mad that she's holding someone like that. She still doesn't understand the fact that I know her nature, I know she's a flirt, and I know she has many friends that she's flirted with. All I need from her is her word that she won't sleep with them and everything is fine . . . That's not too demanding of me, is it?

"H-Hey, Kittycat! You went to the bathroom?" Yang asks while she leans her head back to look at me.

"No . . . I got lost on the dance floor trying to find you." I growl

"Oh . . . I only stepped away for like two minutes." Yang whispers, but then quickly sits upright. "Anyway, this one is Melanie," Yang gestures to the twin in right who gives an idle wave. "I face her in The Pit and well . . . I accidentally twisted her ankle so . . . you two are injury twins!" Yang jokes, but that only makes the two of us glare daggers at her.

"Nice to meet you." I say, deciding not to introduce myself since Yang probably didn't do that yet on purpose.

"And this one," Yang starts again and pulls the twin in right into her arm, "is Miltiades and she's the **third** one, and **second** in the batting order. The one you haven't met." It takes me a moment to gather what Yang is saying, but when I finally piece together everything I nod my head and smile.

"So this is her? Have to say, she's completely opposite to the other two." I observe, making Yang snicker and Miltiades look at me with confusion.

"Wait, what?" The twin asks, her cheeks turning red.

"Mil, she's the one I told you I was serious about . . . This is Blake. She's my partner, best friend, therapist, tutor, and most importantly: she's my girlfriend." Yang says with the brightest smile I've seen on her in a while.

Her introduction of me did manage to bring a smile out of me to, and if this is the girl Yang has strong feelings towards as well, then I suppose I can spare a moment of self-control to give a hello that'll make both of them blush.

"It's . . . nice to meet you." Miltiades says while I walk to Yang's other side.

"Pleasure's mine." I answer, then without warning I lean over Yang. My left hand reaches out to cup the girl's cheek, and without giving her a moment to react or refuse, I press my lips to right between her eyes which ends in Yang staring at me dumbstruck, the twin going wide-eyed at what I did, and the other twin behind me glaring daggers for kissing her double.

"Blake," Yang calls out my name with a tilt of her head, "Why?"

"Just warming her up for you." I answer rather dismissively and turn my head towards the bar. "Can I get another White Atlesian? Pinch of catnip again."

I say that more to myself since I don't see Junior anywhere nearby. To my surprise the twin in white - Melanie, if I recall - steps behind the bar and starts to prepare my drink.

"So, you and Yang are a thing?" She asks when she finishes making my drink and places it on the counter. Yang is a couple of feet to my left talking with Miltiades, leaving me and Melanie out of earshot thanks to the loud music of the club.

"A thing; that's probably the best way to put it. She says we're a couple, I say we're a little too dysfunctional to be considered that." I joke.

"Well that's good . . . maybe that'll finally get her away from my sister. I don't exactly trust Yang with Miltiades." She explains, "No offense."

"None taken. Yang doesn't exactly have the best reputation . . . I took a chance on her myself and I'm glad I did . . . but I did tell her I don't mind her flirting . . . So long as she doesn't go bedding anyone . . . at least not without asking me." I shrug, but the twin stares at me in confusion and shock.

"Wait, so you'd be fine with her sleeping with someone else? What kind of sense does that make?" She asks, but then holds up a hand to stop me from answering while she goes make herself a drink. From what I can tell it's a typical rum & Coke on the rocks, but she adds something else to it that I can't exactly make out.

"I don't see why not . . . If she asks me first and I say it's fine then it's not cheating, right? She told me that there's only two other people she can look at with affection after being with me. One of them is her first lover, whom I met. The other just so happens to be your sister. Yang's been willing to give up flirting and pretty much being the open, free spirit she is to show that she's dedicated to me, but I've told her countless times she doesn't have to change who she is for my sake. I'm not asking her to do anything like that . . . I fell for who she is. I don't want her to change that just because she's taken an arrow to the knee." When I'm done talking I take a sip of my drink and shiver. It's definitely stronger than the last, but the mixture is much more balanced and has a taste that must've been practiced and redone until the measurements gave such a perfect taste and texture.

"If that's the case, why be in a relationship? Isn't the point of a relationship to have that person to yourself?" Melanie asks me, clearly skeptical about my take on being with Yang.

"To me it's about trust, love, and being the best you can be for your other half. I trust Yang, I want to be the best I can for her . . . and while I'm a little hesitant to use the word, I can honestly say that I do love her . . . As a matter of fact I said it for the first time last week in a very awkward situation." I say, recalling the chokehold I was holding Yang in when I whispered the three-word phrase into her ear for the first time. It still hurts me to think how quickly she stopped her struggling just from hearing me say that.

"I guess you're right . . . but I wouldn't just give out an okay for her to sleep with whoever she wants. That's stupid!" She rebuts

"I didn't say I was giving her an okay to sleep with whoever . . . Right now I'd only give her an okay to sleep with one person . . .and that person is on her lap right now." I say without letting my gaze leave the twin.

"Well I don't want Miltia sleeping with Yang. Not after what she did when she first came here." Melanie glares daggers at me. Whatever Yang did must've really struck a nerve.

"So I've heard . . . the reception definitely wasn't the warmest. What did she do, exactly?" I question.

"She came in here, destroyed the dance floor, traumatized our DJ, knocked out Junior, destroyed all the windows, kicked me in the face, and worst of all she threw Miltia through glass. I was pulling shards out of her back all night." Melanie starts to raise her voice, but I quickly gesture for her to lower it before she gets a little too excited.

"I get it . . . but Miltia seems to have forgiven Yang. I doubt it's your place to try keeping your sister away from someone she cares about. If I did the same thing to Yang then she'd be pacing like a caged animal." I try to explain before taking another baby sip of my drink. With the next sip a shiver shoots through my spine, reminding me what's in it.

"I guess . . . I just don't want my sister hurt. She's all I have and I refuse to let her not see that Yang is-"

"Yang is making her smile with just basic conversation if you haven't taken notice." I take the moment to gesture to my left to Yang.

Yang is sitting at one of the bar stools with Miltia on her lap. Miltia has her arms around Yang's neck, but their heads are still arm's length from each other while they talk. Miltia has an uncontrollable smile with each word and gesture Yang makes. It's nice to see Yang having a playful conversation with someone that enjoys her stories and sense of humor. With that said, I do enjoy Yang's sense of humor, it just doesn't make me laugh as much as she would like. I'm more charmed by it than amused if that makes sense.

"She hasn't smiled like that in a while . . ." Melanie whispers. Soon enough I hear the distinct sound of glass hitting marble and when I turn my head to see what's going on, I spot Melanie's glass is empty of its drink and left with the ice. "This is great. My sister is in love with an abusive powerhouse _**and**_ a nymphomaniac."

"Not entirely. Yang's not abusive . . . if anything I scratch her way more than she marks me . . . and those marks are well . . .intimate, or from a hug." I shrug my shoulders.

"You know what I mean." Melanie groans and slams her elbows onto the countertop, then places her head into her palms with her eyes buried into each palm.

"Besides, Yang isn't too into kissing anyone else despite me giving her the okay. She has thing obsession with proving that she's serious about me and proving that she is capable of being happy with me and only me . . . which she's proven already." I take another sip of my drink. This time the sip hits me much harder than the last and I'm forced to take a step away from the bar to stand upright and breathe.

"Well that's how it should be." Melanie says, not noticing my slight retreat. "Considering how she used to be with Miltia . . . I guess things must be genuine. I'd find traces of hair and . . . forgotten clothing in the house all the time with Miltia trying to stop me from going into other rooms. I knew Yang was visiting her, but she felt better to hide it from me, so I played dumb. Yang hasn't come by in months and Miltia hasn't been her usual self. I'm glad to see her like this."

While Melanie talks I regain myself but feel a sudden urge to move. The music in the club is much more accustomed to my likings. However, once the next transition hits, I immediately pick up on the starting rhythm and without fail I begin to guide Melanie to come around the counter. When she comes to the other side I grab her by the wrist and lead her to the dance floor.

I give a quick peek over my shoulder to see Yang and Miltia looking at us and whispering to each other. I expect Melanie to be against dancing with me, but I guess the drink she just chugged is starting to take effect.

"I don't dance often." She says to me after we find ourselves a section of the dance floor to stand on. The strobing lights of random ROY G BIV colors seems to affect my vision less and less since I'm more focused on Melanie instead of glaring around to find a missing Yang.

"I don't either. I'm just here to see how long it takes Yang to get jealous." I snicker.

"You're terrible to her! I love it!" Melanie giggles.

Before I know it, the two of us are swaying and dancing to _It Went_ by S3rl. As time goes on and sweat begins to bead my body and outfit I lost track of the seconds and minutes. What starts off as amateur dance out between the two of us slowly molds into coordinated sways and movements that bring us pressing to each other either chest-to-chest or chest-to-back. Honestly, I'm sure I'm making a fool of myself, but the mix of alcohol and catnip makes me far from self-conscious.

Tonight may not be so bad after all.


	13. Past, Present, Future

_So, this chapter is pretty dialogue heavy . . . although now that I think about it, all of my chapters are dialogue heavy . . . I think that's part of my writing style. You tell me._

 _So, I was thinking of doing this in Ruby's POV, but I think saving that for another chapter may be better since you'll pick up on what her conversation with Qrow is about._

 _We have a little bit of Arkos buildup as well, one of the cuter and more popular couples in my opinion, and to top it off I decided to whip out my vocabulary to fuck with you all . . . Keep google handy, there's about four or five words you're going to need to look up. If you know what all of them mean, I'll be impressed._

 _I came close to going towards 5k again, but that's because I got some good feedback and some of which I want to address really quick._

 _Not stating names, just answering. SO_

 _Someone said they're worried about my story being too long winded and not having an end. Honestly, they have a point. This story isn't meant to end exactly . . . it's on an AU that's parallel to canon which I think makes it fun and unique (Could get a little Doctor Who logic on you)._

 _Someone else was confused with Blake being so open to Yang sleeping with others, but that's a little inaccurate. Blake doesn't mind Yang sleeping with one other person, and that's Miltiades Malachite. Blake knows how flirtatious Yang is. She turned her down a record amount of times after all._

 _Blake also likes Yang just like she is. She doesn't want Yang to change, and for that reason she doesn't tighten the leash of their relationship even though Yang is practically begging for it to be tightened. I think it's pretty poetic:_

 _The uncontrollable girl wanting to be controlled, but the girl that's in control doesn't feel the need to be. It's somewhat tragic to be honest if you take the time to think about it. Blake is denying Yang what she wants most without realizing it._

 _ **And this last part you can ignore, it involves my OC.**_

 _Someone said Shun x Winter is practically an elevated Weiss x Yang . . . and sadly I see the comparison which makes me die of laughter. I'm not sure how everyone feels about my OC, but I think I did a good job on her. She's not broken in any sense, she has more flaws than any OC I've seen, and her development is decent in my opinion. I know some people aren't big on OCs, but the fact that she's been given a chance and received rather well makes me happy. The commission for her is almost done too . . . I'd show what's done so far, but it wouldn't be fair to have WIPs scattered across the internet. I've honestly put a lot of time into thinking of her design, her name, her weapons, semblance, and especially her backstory. Speaking of which, her name isn't exactly her legal name . . . That'd be too coincidental :P That'll get touched on later, or you can PM me to ask about it!_

 _ **With that said, you guys are amazing, thank you for reading and reviewing. It truly means alot to me!**_

 _ **As always, leave a review. Could be a question you want answered, suggestions, anything related to RWBY!**_

* * *

 _ **POV: WEISS SCHNEE**_

 _ **Chapter 13 -**_

 _ **Dangerous Past,**_

 _ **Questioning Present,**_

 _ **Promising Future**_

* * *

"Uncle Qrooooooow! . . . Hi!" I watch as Ruby practically dives at her Uncle and swings from his wrist. The momentum from her semblance almost carrying her fast enough to clothesline herself on his stationary limb.

"Hey, Kiddo. Good job on your match . . . although you're still a bit too flashy with your moves." He says. Ruby practically barraged her uncle the moment he stepped into the doorway, leaving him there while he keeps his right arm parallel to the floor to keep the hyper crimsonette hanging off the ground. "Hope I'm not bothering your quality time . . . I'm sure it wasn't exactly the easiest thing to get back in Atlas."

"You weren't interrupting anything." I quickly answer, "Ruby and I were simply talking."

"Good, I actually need to talk to you two about something. You got five minutes to spare?" He asks while walking into the doorway. When he has enough room around him, he casually swings his arm to throw Ruby in my direction, sending her flying onto her bed which in turn starts to swing and creak, making me raise from my mattress as a precautionary measure. At the same time I can hear a startled yell coming from the hallway that sounds all too familiar.

"You keep your hands off of me you flirtatious factotum! Don't force me to commit felicide! "

 _That has to be my sister . . . I doubt anybody else would know what a factotum is._ Wait, she said 'felicide' . . . I think I know who's out there with her.

"Why is my sister here?" I decide to ask while I make my way to the door, but before I can even get passed Mr. Qrow, he closes it behind him and walks towards Ruby and I.

"She's accompanying Ironwood for something. Don't know anything aside from that. Anyway, i have a couple of questions for the two of you . . . it's about something that happened last semester . . . You know what I'm talking about." The last sentence he directs to Ruby with focused eye contact. "I spoke with Oz."

"What?" I ask, then look at Ruby since she apparently knows what's going on. "What did you do? Why is Ozpin involved?"

"She took a good course of action is what she did. If I asked you about a woman with glowing eyes and a mark on her back . . . what would come to mind?" Qrow asks, taking my attention off of Ruby.

"I . . ." I pause to think of who I encountered last semester. Nobody comes to mind that meets both requirements, but one person does come to mind that meets the first of the two. "I recall one person . . . Cinder."

"From what I hear, she fixed your arm up . . . but it had some pretty wicked kick for a while." Qrow sums up, making flashes of my duel with Yang go through my mind.

"Yang punched my arm . . . it popped several blood vessels and made it unresponsive. Cinder used dust needles to drain the blood . . . When she was done I was able to move it again." I explain, leaving out the other details of Cinder's sadistic mood change halfway through her treatment.

". . . That's your half . . . apparently that dust stayed in your arm . . . and it made Ruby worry." Qrow adds in. Immediately I turn to look at Ruby who remains silent, practically admitting that he's speaking the truth. "Look, I need to talk to my niece for a moment. Mind giving us the room?" He asks and politely gestures towards the door.

"Sure, I suppose, but . . . What's going on?" I ask in return.

"It's better if you know little to nothing . . . just give us about five minutes." He asks with a serious glare. I decide to leave things be and leave the room without posing an argument.

The moment I exit the room I become subject to a display I am uncertain on my feelings towards. My sister is against the wall on Team JNPR's side of the hall with a frightened look on her face while the self-proclaimed 'Kickboxer' has a palm planted on the wall, next to my sister's head.

"Why the hell are you so frightened of a kiss? Hell, I won't even use tongue, just a peck."

 _. . . What did I just walk into?_

"I said stay away from me, you gamin! I refuse to participate in this flirtatious paragon and feed that corpulent ego of yours!" My sister yells.

"What?" The cheetah faunus blinks, completely and utterly confused at my sister's extensive vocabulary. I learned very quickly that I'll need to refrain from using certain words at Beacon, but my sister hasn't really comprehended the difference in vocabulary between the people of Atlas and the people of Vale. Not to say that the people around here are 'stupid', it's just Atlas is more of a sophisticated and disciplined area in terms of education. Being part of the Schnee Family does have something to do with our vocabulary too, however.

"I guess this is how Yang feels when she sees me and Ruby together." I sigh. I lift up my left hand and form a glyph that acts as a spatula. It slides itself between Shun and Winter, prying the cheetah faunus away and giving my sister a chance to regain her composure and stature. "I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my sister alone, Shun."

"Aw!" The cheetah faunus groans and takes a kick at my glyph which ricochets her kick and sends her bouncing into the wall behind her. "Way to ruin my entertainment, Snow Angel! . . . Fuck that hurt!"

"Blame yourself . . . As . . . 'pleasant' as it is to see you again. What are you doing in Beacon?"

"She's Qrow's shadow it seems." Winter speaks up while she walks towards me, passing a thankful look in my direction. I'm a little caught off guard at Winter's nervousness around Shun . . . the faunus is practically harmless after you speak to her a bit, but I suppose being _aggressively_ flirted at isn't the easiest thing to overcome, especially with the predatory glare Shun possesses.

"I'm joining The Pit in Vale. My match is after the tourney. Apparently I'm supposed to go up against the winner of the match the night before . . . I think one of the contestants is some punchy-girl called Tifa Lock-heart. Sounds like a shitty nickname if you ask me." She shrugs. "Nice win by the way."

"Don't go promoting a novice performance!" My sister jumps in, sinking the slight confidence Shun built from her compliment. "I counted at least three missed strikes and several miscalculations from their team . . . On both sides."

"Why do you have to degrade people so much? _**That's**_ what I'm talking about with you. You can't just compliment someone. Come on, say something nice to her. Or something nice to me." Shun starts, but after her last words she starts to grin, making me believe she is about to make a smart remark . . . which is also a habit Yang has. ". . . I'd _**really**_ like you to say something nice about me."

Those words make my sister take another step backwards, putting me between the two of them. I'm starting to wonder if my sister is actually homophobic. People don't understand that homophobia isn't necessarily a hate for those that prefer the same gender, but a fear of it . . . The way she's acting, it wouldn't surprise me if she's more scared of the fact that she's being advanced on so aggressively by the flirtatious faunus. If Yang were to do such a thing to me I'd be angry, confused, then possibly be mildly fearful since Yang has a _**very**_ persistent attitude when it comes to things like this.

"Winter, are you homophobic?" I ask. She seemed fine with being near Ruby and I while Ruby was trying to snuggle against me in my room, but then again, Ruby wasn't actively attempting to flirt with Winter, which may have triggered a fear in my older sister.

"How can she be homophobic? She ain't exactly hating on me or anything." Shun interrupts.

"The suffix of that word is -phobia, which gives it an entirely different meaning to racism." I state simply.

"I'd never be such a thing. I'm a Schnee and we do _**not**_ back down from anything." Winter speaks loud and clearly. "As for _**you**_ ," she starts, gesturing to the distant faunus. "I will gladly appreciate if you halt your urges for one second so we can focus on what's important here!"

"I **am** focusing on what's important . . . You need to unknot your granny panties and learn to chill." That comment is enough to make my sister form a glyph and summon a single bird-sized nevermore to fly towards Shun and peck at her.

"HOLY SHIT!" Shun screams and without another words she sprints down the hallway to retreat from the small summon, making my sister and I look at each other in confusion until I register what happened.

"Oh . . . she's scared of Grimm." I comment, looking down the hall to see no trace of the cheetah faunus after her sprint. "That may have helped you out a lot earlier. Now, my question."

"I'm . . . fine with homosexuality. I find nothing wrong with your choices. However, I'm not prone to being as . . . open-minded as you are." She says, taking time to think out her words.

"That's a yes, then." I simplify and smile. "She's not going to hurt you, Winter . . . and if you simply tell her that you're not very into her, she'll stop . . . She's not a rapist." I joke.

"She seems a little too adamant on making advances. I doubt a simple statement can deter someone as . . . driven as she is." Winter argues.

"Trust me on it . . . She's annoying . . . but courteous." I give my sister a hug - something neither of us do very often - then knock on the room door to see if Ruby is done talking to her uncle.

It's about a thirty second wait before the door is opened and Mr. Qrow steps out with a smile on his face.

"Sorry about that. You two can enjoy your time together now. Where's Shun?" Mr. Qrow asks after taking a moment to gaze around.

"She ran off with a baby nevermore on her tail." Winter speaks up with lack of any sort of amusement in her tone, although I will admit that it was a humorous sight.

"Damnit . . . I need you and her to go to Vale for me. I just need you two to look after something for me. Ironwood's already given you clearance to go." He says to her. In the meantime I decide to slide by him and get back into my room to join Ruby who's laying on my bed, staring blankly at the bottom of her mattress.

"Scoot over, Dolt." I say with a smile. She's quick to comply, giving me ample room to lay down next to her. While she's laying on her back I choose to lay on my side so I can rest my head on her shoulder. "I won't ask."

"Thanks, Princess." Ruby turns her head and presses her lips to my forehead, widening the smile on my face from her display of affection. Slowly but surely she's been opening up my heart, and soon I won't have anything to hide from her. It's something I'm proud of to say the least.

Unfortunately, another interruption halts my quality time with Ruby, but this time it's in the form of an annoying chime from my scroll. I sigh, taking the chance to answer it. Much to my surprise it's Yang that's calling me.

"Is everything okay Ya-" I start to ask, but I'm cut off immediately by the loud blonde.

"OhMyOum! WeissYou'reTheBestestFriendAnyGirlCouldHaveISwear! Wait, wait, wait! Was that the proper number? The deposit?" Yang asks. Honestly it took her long enough to realize how much I gave her.

"Yes, I figured you could treat Blake to something nice. Maybe-"

"YOU'RE THE BEST! I can totally take her everywhere I want. Yes, yes, YES!" Yang screams. I've never heard her quite so hyper and happy, but it's good to hear her like this. Hopefully Blake will be under similar results.

"I take it you already have everything planned?" I ask after Yang gives me a moment of silence.

"Her _**favorite**_ book series comes out at midnight! I already went online and purchased a ticket! There were two left! She's going to be so surprised!" Yang shouts.

"Oh? And where is Blake?" I know Yang's not dumb enough to say things like this out loud with Blake nearby.

"Oh! She's dancing with twins! I stepped outside to check my funds because I just paid my bar tab and I didn't see a dent, but then I realized that there was an extra zero and it just made my day. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're getting the biggest smooch next time I see you, I promise. You better not go to sleep tonight because I swear I'll wake you up! HEAR THAT RUBES!? I'M GOING TO SMOOCH YOUR GIRLFRIEND. DEAL WITH IT! Oh an-"

"Yang . . ."

"Yes?"

"Make sure Blake has a good time. Tell me all about it when you two come back. I'll be awake. Promise." With that I hang up my scroll, not giving Yang anymore time to talk and express her gratitude. I didn't give her that lien for her to owe me. I gave it to her because she's my friend and she's honestly _**never**_ asked me for money, although she has joked about giving her a limo here and there. This is the first time she's made a genuine request, and I can't think of a more selfless cause for her to ask it under. Yang's not a greedy person and I'm glad that she's already thought of how to spend it on Blake.

"Wow . . . Yang got really excited over one-hundred and fifty lien." Ruby remarks before going through her scroll.

"What are you doing?" I ask, sitting myself up to give Ruby more room to venture through her device.

"Yang and I share the same bank account . . . we just have two separate accounts in it. So~~~ i can just check how much she has right he-" Ruby freezes mid-sentence and stares at her scroll. It takes her roughly ten seconds to recover from whatever shocked her, and immediately her eyes fall to me. "Weiss . . ."

"Yes?" I ask, knowing already what Ruby's probably about to ask me. So I added an extra zero, it's not that big of a deal.

"You gave Yang a little bit more than what she wanted." She says simply, but my face remains unchanged.

"I'm aware. If you want to send her something too, you have access to my account." I say to her, but Ruby is quick to put her scroll down and pounce me off of the bed. The swift tackle leaves me tumbling onto the floor, groaning at the hard impact as well as the added weight of Ruby on top of me.

"You're the best." Ruby says rather calmly in contrast to her hyper action moments ago. "I can't even be mad that Yang wants to give you a smooch now. I'll let it slide this time."

"Wait, she wasn't serious about that, was she!?" i ask in a mild panic. My question earns several snickers and laughs from Ruby that make me realize Yang was very serious. "No! Give me my scroll! I'm calling for credit card fraud!"

"Nope! I want my Weiss time!" Ruby shouts and gets herself comfortable on top of me with her head on top of my chest and the rest of her body keeping me pinned to the ground.

As much as I want to take my funds from Yang to stop her attempts to show me a little too much affection, Ruby is also right. The two of us haven't had much time together, and while a night out could be wonderful for us as well, being in the privacy of our dorm room is just as wonderful.

"Say, should we see how Team JNPR is doing? At least call and invite them over for a bit?" I ask, but the look Ruby gives me speaks against it somewhat. "I'll let you sit on my lap if that-"

I don't even need to finish my sentence for Ruby to semblance off of me and already have her scroll ringing for one of Team JNPR to answer.

"Hey Pyrrha! Are you guys in your room? . . . Oh, they went out. Yang wanted to cheer her up . . . Oh, there's still a place open? . . . Actually, we haven't . . . I think she'd like that . . . Okay, we'll be out in about thirty seconds!" Ruby announces.

Before she hangs up I'm already on my feet to straighten out my outfit properly. I also take the liberty of putting on my bolero while placing my scroll in the inside pocket. Ruby seems to be ready to go as she is, but she still hasn't told me what exactly I've been volunteered to join her in. She probably sees my questioning gaze, because in the next moment she's stammering to tell me what's going on.

"So, they're going back to the fairgrounds to a nice little spot that stays open until about 2 AM. Apparently they have awesome food and we haven't eaten so-" Ruby tries to defend the fact that she didn't ask me, but truthfully I don't mind. Spending time with our friends is something I enjoy.

"All you needed to say was where we're going. So we're heading back up to the Coliseum. That's fine." I respond to her before going to our door. When I open it I'm surprised to see Jaune is already standing in the hallway.

"Hello, Jaune." I give a polite wave in his direction. At the same time I step out the door, leaving Ruby to finish organizing herself and gathering anything she may need.

"Oh, uh. Hey, Weiss." Jaune returns my wave with one of his own. "Just, uh . . . waiting for Pyrrha and Nora to finish changing."

". . . Isn't Ren in the room?" I ask, thinking it would make more sense if both of the men were outside of the room.

"Well, Nora wanted his opinion on a new br-" Before he can finish his sentence I raise my hand up to stop him.

"Nora is being Nora. I understand." I say to him, although another question rises into my head. "So, how are you and Pyrrha doing?"

My question brings the knight's face to a cherry red, causing me to worry mildly.

"Well . . . I dunno to be honest." He sighs, then tilts his head back to tap it against the wall. "Pyrrha's . . . she's trying so hard to well . . . impress me or something. Ever since we've been back to Beacon she's been searching for any reason to get me something or treat me to a meal . . . It's nice of her but well . . . I can't exactly return the favor y'know? I'm not 'Millionaire Maximillion' or anything like that." Jaune says with air quotes.

To be honest his situation sounds very similar to how Ruby and I first started off. When I got her that necklace and her new scope she didn't want to accept them for the sole reason that she was worried about being able to return something of equal value. The fact that Jaune is worrying about the same thing is sweet in its own right, but wrong as well. I can imagine Pyrrha's mindset on it all . . . Her and I are born of similar cloth after all.

"Jaune . . . do you like Pyrrha?" I ask him.

"What? Of course I like Pyrrha!" He practically shouts.

"If you had the money, would you spoil her as much as she is trying to spoil you?" I follow up, this time earning a raised eyebrow from him.

"I mean, I'd be trying to save and space things out, but yeah. If I had the funds I'd totally want to get her things." He nods his head while the look on his face reveals his impatience to see where I'm getting at with this.

"I buy Ruby things because she's my girlfriend. I have the lien lying around to do so. I scolded her before since she was hesitant on taking my gifts because she couldn't match them . . . but it's that exact reason why I cherish her even more and want to give her that much more." I say, then raise my hand to Jaune so he can give me a chance to explain.

"Pyrrha and I are similar . . . we're sought after for our wealth and fame. I was born into such the situation while she found herself becoming distant with people because of the fame and fortune she obtained thanks to her talents as a fighter. How tough do you think it is for her to lose contact with friends, or not be approached because people believe she's too good for them? Or perhaps for her to be chased solely because of her wealth and fame? It's _**not**_ a good feeling. I had to explain to you who she was when you two met. You had no idea of her fame, nor did you care. She was a simple redhead that you made _**very**_ poor attempts at hitting on, and even after finding out who she was, you still treated her the same. You see her for who she is . . . I think the time she's spent separated from people created a void in her that you filled just by being there. If her spending lien bothers you, tell her. But don't let her wealth deter you . . . it hasn't before, and it shouldn't now."

I finish speaking just in time for JNPR's door to open. The first person out is Pyrrha who has an absolutely glowing smile on her face. She's wearing her usual attire, but chose to not wear her gorget (the armor that her neck covered) or the circlet that covers her forehead.

Instead of her usual ponytail she has her hair down which looks absolutely gorgeous in my opinion, especially with how her red locks contrast with her emerald-green eyes. With her previous hairstyle I recall her hair stopping at her waistline, now it goes well past her rear and stops near the middle of her thigh in terms of length. The moment she spots Jaune she steps to his side and lays her head on his shoulder. She seems very relieved to have someone to lean on like that. It's adorable to say the least.

Soon after, Nora and Ren exit the room, and finally Ruby comes out with her outfit on and cape clipped like she normally has it. We all begin walking down the hall to make our exit. Jaune and Pyrrha lead the way while Ruby and I are behind them, and finally Nora and Ren are behind us.

"So, what does this place serve exactly?" I ask when we reach one of the stairwells.

"It's a standard menu. Anything you can think of . . . aside from the fancy stuff like calamari and so on." Pyrrha explains. "It's only open in the evenings into morning because it takes up the entire fairground. There's food from every Kingdom if I recall."

Pyrrha's explanation does get me curious and I'm already behind the thought of trying cuisine from the other two Kingdoms I have yet to visit.

We exit the stairwell and make our way out to the courtyard, walking patiently towards the docking station to catch an airship that'll bring us up to the Coliseum. It's roughly a half an hour wait, but we pass the time by with idle chit chat. Ruby, Pyrrha and Nora find themselves talking about weapons and bizarre upgrades that could either revolutionize the tech we use now - or simply be explosively fun in Nora's thoughts.

Jaune, Ren and I find ourselves talking about the tournament, a couple of new stores and imports we've heard about. Jaune contributes information about a new stereo system and mixing software he'd be interested in getting so he can customize his music. Ren mentions a couple of new hair dyes and green tea recipes that are being sent. He also mentions that there's an opening to get a new book for a very popular book series, but he fails to say what the name of the series is for some reason. However, once we're all aboard the airship and begin our ride our conversations merge and focus on one specific thing.

"That guy was the worst! We should'a broke his legs!" Nora shouts, sparking the fuse in all of us.

"My patience was wearing thin with his attitude . . . It was highly unpleasant." Ren agrees.

"I can't tolerate people like that . . . It's people like him that drove The White Fang to violence." Pyrrha sighs and shakes her head at the thought.

"Well, at least Yang took Blake out! They should be having the bestest time ever!" Ruby says in hopes of lightening the mood.

"From what I heard, they're in a club . . . and Blake is dancing . . . with twins." I add, earning wide-eyed glares from everyone.

"One girl isn't enough for Blake, huh? She needs three!" Nora starts to gigglesnort.

"And . . . Yang is okay with this?" Ren asks me with a questioning stare.

"Yang was the one to call and tell me." I respond, although I leave out the parts of how and why Yang was beyond overexcited while we spoke.

"At least they're both having a good time. Yang must have felt as hurt as Blake. It's tough to see a loved one go through that much just because of who they are." Pyrrha nods her head, seeming to have been a victim to a similar situation.

"Well, let's leave all that stuff to Yang. We'll be able to check in with Blake tomorrow." Jaune says, "For now, let's enjoy our dinner night!"


	14. The Plucked Nightshade's Glow

_Don't ask.  
_

 _This chapter just . . . It just happened, okay!?_

 _I started typing and then . . . talking about dancing and before I knew it . . .GAH._

 _*Deep breath*_

 _If this chapter has no errors . . . I'm going to just walk away and start writing dance scenes only._

 _I blew through this chapter. You don't understand. TWO HOURS it took me. ONLY TWO HOURS, and that's with me listening to music, eating dinner and reading about the effects of catnip._

 _What? You didn't think I did research? Bitch, please!_

 _So . . . ummm . . ._

 _I think I realized how much I imagine the swaying hips of the Bellabooty . . . I'm ashamed of myself._

 _. . . Just . . . Just review before I commit seppuku or what the fuck._

 _I'm taking a nap . . . I STILL WANT REVIEWS ON MY LAST CHAPTER. I ONLY GOT THREE, FUCK YOU GUYS._

 _. . . Grapest, I'm waiting for you too . . . little fucker_

* * *

 ** _POV: YANG XIAO LONG_**

 _ **Chapter 14 - The Plucked Nightshade's Glow  
**_

"I'll be awake. I promise."

I can't help but smile cheek to cheek even though I've just been hung up on. When the image of Weiss' contact photo disappears it leaves me with the website that I just bought the ticket from. Tonight Blake's favorite series,Ninja's of Love comes out with a new volume, and only those that have a ticket can get into the store to both buy it and meet the author. The ticket was a hefty price, but thanks to Weiss it barely put a dent in my funds for the night. I hope she knows I am far more than serious about giving her a kiss. She just made my night by helping me make Blake's night!

"Okay okay . . . it's. . ." I check the upper right-hand corner of my scroll to see what time it is. It's only 11:30 and I can easily make it to the bookstore in ten minutes or less, but if I want to take my time with getting Blake out of the club, as well as maybe take a little scenic route along the seaside then perhaps leaving now wouldn't hurt.

I'm currently standing outside the large door of the club. Junior's men already are in the process of placing in a new one. I guess with my last visit he decided to buy more than one spare . . . or he's had his door blown open more than twice.

As I walk towards the mini-construction area I look as two men are trying to tilt the door upright so they can hinge it properly. At the moment they have the skinniest end of the door on the floor. They only need to tilt it and stand it vertically since it looks like they lined it up properly. I decide to offer my help and within seconds I have the large frame upright and in place for a few screws to get put in place, then without a word I enter the club to find my Kitty Cat and the Twins.

I walk to the barstool I've been favoring for the night. The loud music and strobing lights are a great party-started and really hype up the dancers . . . especially Blake who's been keeping my eyes all over her since the moment she stepped on the dance floor.

* * *

 _ **(Flashback - half an hour ago)**_

* * *

I always knew Blake must have a special sway to her hips when she dances just by seeing her walk, but the way she's been working the Bellabooty makes me realize that her walk is only a fraction of her sexy. Her eye shadow? Don't even get me started on how good it looks at night.

Seeing her on the floor with Melanie had me and Miltia watching in awe. Melanie of course knew how to sway her body in a way that had her clothing lifting to the point of exposing underneath her skirt but never quite reaching, and the more confident of the twins seemed to know it as well.

Blake on the other hand had more of a sensual sway to her. A lot of her motions ended with a slight slowdown that let her hair settle before she began her next string of motions. I could feel her amber eyes pierce the strobing darkness and gaze right through me when she found time to look in my direction. However . . . that was only during the first two songs she danced to.

On the third song my leg jerked up, making Miltia bounce on my lap when I saw Blake take a possessive hold of Melanie's hips and pull the twin towards her. It was definitely an unorganized motion based on how Melanie jerked back at first, but soon they both settled into a rhythm that I found myself gawking at. Blake's eyes were focused on her dance partner, her hands were wandering the slender hips and back without the worry or concern of touching somewhere Melanie would deem inappropriate. When I was able to tear my eyes away from the sight I began talking to Miltia about how everything's been, but the twin in red would only divert my eyes back to see that Blake was holding a palmful of Mel's rear . . . and there was no visual signs of her being against it.

". . . Is it bad I find that hot?" I said to Miltia, but she never humored me with a response.

Dancers around them began to make room, letting the two have as much room as they wanted to keep themselves and their viewers entertained. Normally I'd be bothered by so many eyes on her . . . but even I couldn't pry my eyes away from what was going on. Blake was showing a new side of her . . . a side I never knew she had . . . at least in public.

Soon my ears drowned out the music, only letting the heavy thumbs of the bass remind me that there is actually music in the club. Every twirl, every shake, every seductive side-glare in my direction . . . I became a deer in the headlights . . . but I wanted to badly for that car to hit me. I wanted those eyes to get brighter, to come closer until I faint from how strong their glare was. That was when Miltia snapped me out of it.

"Y-Yang . . . y-your hand." She whispered to me.

My attention immediately turned to my left hand that was absently caressing Miltia's rear, which isn't a bad thing at all. However, my hand was underneath her skirt . . . and underneath the clothing she had under them, leaving me fondling bare flesh. That was when I excused myself and left Miltia to go dance with Blake, although my secondary request was for her to make sure nobody else joins in.

* * *

 _ **(Present)**_

* * *

Now I'm back on my stool, watching her graceful motions as she switches between facing Miltia and facing Melanie. She's been carefree tonight and I love it. I can only hope that she can stay like this forever. I love the way she smiles, and seeing her with such an elated look on her face while she breaks a sweat is a blessing to me.

"Lose your girl to the Twins, Blondie?" The deep, raspy voice of Junior catches my attention. When I turn towards him he already has my Strawberry Sunrise refilled and seems to be enjoying the sight of the twins dancing with Blake.

"Yeah, well . . . they're skinnier than me." I joke, earning a shared chuckle from the two of us. "Where have you been by the way?"

"Serving tables . . . If you haven't noticed you've been monopolizing my waitresses." Junior says before he starts to walk away. I decide to watch him walk off, seeing him grabbing a trey off of the counter with several cups in it. As he walks he starts handing off glasses to his henchman and directing them where to bring them so he doesn't have to make too many trips around the club.

When I turn my eyes back to the dancefloor, Blake, Miltia and Melanie are all walking towards me. Miltia to Blake's left, Blake in the center, and Melanie on her right.

"Well . . . that was fun." Blake says very nonchalantly. "I don't think I did too bad."

With her second sentence all three of us glare at her.

" 'Too bad'!?" I shout, shocked at her words. "Blake, you were-"

"You were a very . . . enticing dance partner." Melanie cuts in, sporting a blush that makes me tilt my head.

"I didn't think you could move like that. You were amazing." Miltia says while walking towards me to sit on my lap again but when she gets close enough to turn around Blake politely stops her and takes her seat on my lap instead.

A shiver erupts through my spine when Blake sits. It's one thing for her to sit with me, but the way she wiggles on me to get her rear to shift up my lap until her rear is touching my stomach drives me wild. It's not one of those 'penguin waddle' wiggles either. The only part of her that moves are _**her hips**_. They practically vibrate with their rapid motion until she finds herself comfortable.

"So . . . how'd you like it?" Blake finally asks me. She tilts her head back to lay her head on my left shoulder, staring at me absently with half-opened eyes and parted lips. The way she's panting is just too sexy, and the side-stare I'm getting makes my arms weak the longer I try to return it.

"Blake you were-" I start to say, but her right hand comes up to to my lips and stops me mid-sentence. Her eyes are so beautiful in the alternating lights of the club, but I don't get long to savor them because she closes them soon after and presses her lips to my cheek.

"I thought I was your Kitty Cat." She whispers after the peck. Her words drive a shiver through my body. They were so low on volume, yet practically hissed out. I contribute that to her being short of breath, but her tone and actions are both so arousing . . . It's so out of character for her. It's like she's under the influence of som-.

"Blake? How many White Atlesians did you have?" I ask, realizing where her sudden confidence and public display of affection both came from.

"I only had two, Yang . . . I'm not high." Blake says and glares at me. From what I can tell her eyes aren't dilated, but then again her eyes don't share the same feline features as an actual cat. I know a faunus with a predatory stare, and I've seen how her eyes change with the addition of catnip. I can't exactly take the same approach for Blake but the fact that she picked up on where my question was leading does relax me a bit.

"I gave her a refill." Melanie speaks up afterwards. "I put in two pinches and a little more kahlua to keep the catnip from tasting too strong . . . I didn't know she was a light-"

"She's not a lightweight. I'm just overprotective at times." I say before Melanie can finish her sentence. I then lower my volume and tilts my head towards Blake's silk-covered ears. "Say, how about we start heading out? I still have a couple of places to bring you."

"Oh? You planned more than just drinks and dinner? I'm impressed." Blake says in response, but the kiss on my cheek after lets me know she's only being sarcastic. Blake is quick to get off of my lap. I take the chance to look down and check how well she's balancing, seeing that she's definitely not high or drunk from the fact that her posture is perfect and there's no shuffling that indicates her being unbalanced.

"Well gals . . . time for us to get out of here. Was great seeing you Miltia, and I'm glad to see you're doing better Melanie." I announce and move to my feet.

"Come back anytime." Melanie says in her usual _I'm not too fond of you_ attitude, although this time around she has a smile on her face.

Miltia on the other hand walks right up to me with an expectant look on her face. When I don't make a motion that look changes to a plea that softens my heart, but I still don't do anything. Out the corner of my eye I see Blake lift a leg up and lightly push-kick Miltia into my arms, making me fall back into the stool with the red twin in my arms.

I look to Blake who gives me that ' _You know what I'm talking about'_ glare. I then turn my eyes to Melanie who sighs, then nods her head and turns away to talk with Blake.

 _Well shit . . ._

I then look down to Miltia. The twin in red stares at me with hope. Her heavy red makeup that wings near the outer corner of her eyes helps bring out the pale green in her irises. The way she's leaning on me gives me a tempting view of her cleavage thanks to her stylish, strapless red dress. Two Strawberry Sunrises proves to be enough to have me loosen up, and the third one on the counter brings back a couple of memories that seem to be present in Miltia's mind too, especially when she takes the drink and holds it to my lips.

"To old times?" I ask her while I place my lips at the edge of the glass, letting her tilt so I can take a couple of sips before she lowers it for me to stop.

"To old times." She responds. She slowly turns the glass until the mark my lips left on the edge of the glass is now facing her. She places her lips directly over the mark while I take hold of the bottom of the glass and start to tilt it in the same manner she did for me.

I watch closely, noting every bulge in her throat when she swallows. Miltia isn't a heavy drinker . . . she's a lightweight to say the least. During each of our 'encounters' at her place we'd share a glass. I'd drink half and leave her the rest to finish in one swallow . . . She's never been able to do it.

My smile only grows wider while I watch her swallow more and more of my favorite drink, leaving me tilting the glass higher and higher until the other edge of it touches her forehead when she downs the final droplets.

I'm quick to take the glass and place it back on the counter. Her cheeks are a flush red and her breathing ragged, followed by a couple of coughs that practically give away how hard she pushed herself to do that.

 _To old times._

I place my right hand under Miltia's chin and extend two fingers to lift her head. The simple touch is more than enough to get her inching up to me with pursed lips and closed eyes. She's adorable . . . I threw away everything to pursue Blake and forgot just how cute Miltia is. I hope she'll forgive me for being gone so long.

When she's close enough I lean down to press my lips to hers. The moment our lips connect her arms slide up to my shoulders and tense in an attempt to pull herself up to me. I wrap my left arm around her upper back and pull her onto my lap, cradling her against me while our lips lock and tongues entwine. The sweet remnants of my drink are still on her tongue and I plan on claiming every bit of it until I'm certain there's not a trace left.

It's not long before I feel Miltia's grip weaken and her attempts to match my pace diminish. When I break away from her I look and see her eyes are closed and her cheeks are a burning red that I haven't seen in awhile. Knowing her she'll probably need to rub one out later . . . but I think I gave her a kiss that'll last a while in her memories.

I look over Miltia's head to see Blake looking my way with a smile on her face and a raised thumb that shows her approval to what just happened. Melanie on the other hand quietly walks over and helps me get Miltia off of my lap while.

"She missed you, Yang . . . Thanks." Melanie says while hugging her sister. Miltia has been deadly quiet after our kiss, but the smile on her face gives me all the words I need. She's happy . . . and she deserves to be.

"Ready?"

I raise my head to see Blake at my side with that half-smile of hers.

"Yeah. You have no idea where we're going nex-"

Before I can finish my sentence I'm tackled off of the stool with my back slamming against the corner of the bar. My head probably would have slammed against the countertop too, but Blake's forearm cushions that blow.

"Blake what the fu-" My complaint is silenced by a lip crushing kiss from my Kitty. Her left forearm remains under my head, keeping my head tilted while she practically leans against my already off-balance form that's relying on the bar counter to hold me up.

While I dominated the kiss with Miltia, Blake practically seized ownership of my mouth with this one. Her tongue swirls and moves in methods that are so alien to me, and I can't help but love it!

I drape my arms around Blake's neck, holding her to me to savor her kiss for as long as I can. I expect her to let go soon, but she never does. She starts to press harder against my lips, pushing her form against mine and further pinning me against the bar. I try to nudge her way to give me a bit of slack since the edge of the bar top is digging into my shoulders but that only makes her press harder. On top of that I can feel one of her knees brushing along my inner thigh and drifting higher.

 _Fuck . . . don't do that to me. Don't-!_

There's no hesitation in her actions. The way I'm pinned against a bar, her knee grinding over my groin to the point of making me whimper. All of it done right after my kiss with Miltia. There's no doubt in my mind that this is a message to the twin:

" _She can kiss you however she wants, but she'll always be mine. Don't overstep yourself."_

That's her message to Miltia, but it's also a message to me. Well, not a message, but more of a reminder that I'm hers. Tonight's a night I'm bound to remember for years to come. I hope it's the same for her.

When Blake finally decides that she's marked her territory she pulls back abruptly with our mixed saliva bridging and connecting our tongues until she pulls far enough away for it to break away. She takes her weight off of me, making me realize my legs gave out long ago. The moment I'm no longer pinned to the bar I collapse. Not slide, not stumble, _**collapse**_ onto the floor with my back against the wall of the bar. Her kiss leaves me breathless, weak, and above all: aroused.

"Come on, Yang. We have somewhere to go, right? It's already midnight."

 _Just how long was that kiss?_

It takes me a couple of minutes to regain feeling in my legs, but the moment I do the two of us walk out and make our way to my bike. A right turn once we leave The Club, another right into the alleyway parking lot, and then one more right once we enter the parking lot to face my bike.

I start up Bumbleby and open up the seat compartment to fetch our helmets. I know for a fact that there are special helmets for faunus, and I figure getting Blake one that has kitty ears on the top wouldn't be a bad move. Those helmets are meant to make room for their faunus attributes, making it a comfortable fit and not force their ears (in Blake's case) to be pinned to their scalp. I'll probably get that while she's getting her book signed.

Blake and I both put our helmets on and climb onto Bumbleby in perfect sync. By the time my legs are off the ground and my arms are on the handlebars I don't need to wait another moment to go since Blake's arms are around me.

It's still relatively early so I turn left after leaving the parking lot and head straight for the edge of Vale. Eventually I'm forced to make a right, but that leaves us with a beautiful view of the moon. The bright fragments reflect in a million different ways off of the calm waters of the Vale coast. I'm more focused on the road, but I can feel Blake's helmet press against my back, and judging my the contours I feel, she's definitely looking at the water and enjoying the view.

It's nights like these that I love to have Bumbleby. The way she purrs and roars breaks the annoying silence and leaves me with the warm breeze on my arms, along with enjoying the blue hues of the fragmented moon. I couldn't ask for a better night to take her out.

I decide not to say a word while we ride. It's been a good night so far, and the beautiful scenery shouldn't be interrupted with words . . . at least that's what I read on one of those 'dating tips' sites. Going by the water adds an extra ten minutes to the ride, but it's all worth it. When I break off and make my next right to head away from the water and into the concrete jungle of Vale, Blake lifts her head off of my back, confirming that she was savoring the view. It's not until I spot the bookstore and come to a powersliding halt that she speaks up to find out what's going on.

"Yang? What are we doing here?" She asks, clearly familiar with the place. There doesn't seem to be a big line, but there are quite a bit of people lined up on the empty streets. The bookstore is a red, brick building that appears to be two stories high. The windows have a dark tint to them and read _**Tukson's Book Trade**_ although for some reason the word Tukson is scratched off slightly and replaced with another word. The real name is _**The Book Trade**_. Above the window is a sign that reads 'Grand Release', making me certain that we're at the right spot.

I don't answer her. Instead I take off my helmet and pull out my scroll to find the email with the ticket receipt and barcode.

"I love you, Blake."


	15. Ice Cream After Dark

_So . . . I'm a little disturbed.  
_

 _Someone pretty much did a remix of the Liam Nieson Taken threat when he first found out his daughter was . . . Taken (roll credits). Except . . . instead of kill . . . it was a threat to be licked o.o and not a sexual lick . . .That uncomfortable lick like when Patrick licked that Spongebob Ice Pop . . . Oddly enough his name is Mr. Naga . . . o.o I've never been licked by a Naga so it's not exactly a red light with me . . . I've been watching too much Monster Musume._

 _Also, Soullessheart . . . your reviews make me die of laughter man! lol._

 ** _POV: NEO_**

 ** _Chapter 15 - Ice Cream After Dark_**

 _Okay . . . so maybe it wasn't a good idea to sneak into her bed._

I've never heard her yell quite this much before. Normally it's a simple scolding followed up with a sigh, then a hug, and finally I'm forgiven. This time around it doesn't seem like the scolding is going to end. It's been well over half an hour and I'm still getting an ear full. The fact that those two are just snickering over there doesn't improve my mood at all . . . I swear if they don't stop I'm going to knock them both upside the head.

"Of all the times for you to try to play these games! Tonight is quite possibly the worst. I'm short on sleep and much shorter on patience." She says. Well, she's been saying a lot more but I've long since tuned it out. I don't think it was a big deal . . . It's been quiet and I've been feeling neglected with all of the running around I've been asked to do. It's not wrong for me to want some affection, right?

"This better be the _last_ time I need to have this talk with you. I can't express how unacceptable it is for-" Okay, so I've heard enough. She wants me gone? That's easy. It's the easiest thing for me to do, but the hardest at the same time. Do I want to leave? Definitely not. Will I if she tells me to? Without hesitation. "-Now, if we're done I'll- Where are you going?"

While she's still talking I take my stand from her bed and begin walking towards the window. As I walk by I take a look at the other two. Mercury is his usual self, wearing that classic grin of his that makes me want to roll my eyes. Emerald on the other hand has definitely seen better days. There've been Huntsman roaming around the Dormitories in an attempt to find this room. Emerald's been using her semblance to redirect them through to different rooms while keeping them as far from this one as possible.

As I reach the window I turn to look at Cinder. The usual shade of her eyes are replaced with the bright, amber glow that shows when she's using her semblance. What could she possibly be so pissed about? Her eyes weren't like that when she was scolding me.

"Neo." She finally says after a couple seconds of silence. "Come here."

Normally I'd go to her without hesitation, but right now I'm sleep deprived, attention deprived, and my mood hasn't been the greatest with needing to be around Mercury for an extended period of time.

With that being said, it's not much of a surprise when I disobey her for the first time and hop out the window. I open my parasol during my descent, leading me to a graceful landing at the bottom of the building.

I'll come back in the morning or something . . . There's little chance I'm going to be sleeping tonight. Thankfully I'm still in my disguise, although I took the liberty of taking out the green contacts since I assumed I'd be sleeping throughout the night, although I should have them in my pocket somewhere. I take the liberty of patting my outfit down, finding a pocket in the skirt that has the contacts in them.

I barely get to take five steps when a couple of dust needles fly right by by head and land at my feet. One of them has a strand of my hair coiled around it. I stop in my tracks knowing exactly who threw it. When I look over my shoulder I can see Cinder sitting on the windowsill with three more needles sitting between each knuckle of her right hand, letting me know she's more than prepared to throw more, and quite possibly aim to subdue.

I don't want to go back up there, not with Mercury and Emerald enjoying the sight of me being scolded. I also _can't_ walk away now. She's made her point and me trying to leave will end with me injured . . .and then Cinder wasting time to mend my injuries since I'm needed these next few days. With no other option I can think of, I sit down where I am standing and wait to see what she does.

After being certain that I'm going to stay in place she disappears from the window for a couple of minutes. The next time I see her is when she is already ground level and walking towards me from the entrance of the dormitorium. The first thing I expect is a slap, a hard one for disobeying her. I also expect to see Mercury and Emerald looking on from the window, but neither of them make an appearance.

"Neo . . . What's wrong?"

The way she speaks to me . . . they're honeyed words dipped in poison.

The way she drags two fingers along my neck until those fingers get to my chin and force my eyes to meet hers . . . that's the trap of a rabbit meeting a snake's eyes.

The way her other arm swings around my back to keep me from backing away . . . that's the bear trap.

I try to break my eyes from hers with no avail. The emotionless amber stare melts my heart, it always has. Her sweet smile that turns into a devious smirk once she knows I'm not going anywhere doesn't change how attractive I find her. I love how heartless she is . . . but I hate when she denies me the things I cherish.

"If you _**ever**_ walk away from me again . . . You'll never get one of these again." Her fingers drift from my chin down my jawline to my neck. I offer a questioning look, confused on what she's talking about but that becomes the least of my worries when her fingers wrap around my neck and begin to clench.

I can feel the nails of four of her fingers on one side of my neck and the slightly wider nail of her thumb pressing in from the other side.

 _I could . . . go without being choked_

I wince and seal my eyes shut, fighting away the pain of her fingers digging into my skin, on top of the need for air that's slowly making itself known. On reflex I try to lower my chin to force the painful grip to loosen up, but Cinder's wrist keeps my chin elevated, stopping me from lowering or even turning my head without difficulty.

"Neo." The moment my name is uttered I open my eyes to see that her's are glowing. That twisted smile of hers has never looked so jaw dropping before. "You'll always be my favorite."

Her grip never waivers despite her sweet words. I fight to flex my throat, hoping to get even a millimeter of my windpipe open so I can take a deep breath but Cinder knows just how tight to keep her grip without snapping my neck. She's practically an expert at keeping someone at the brink of fainting without letting them drift off into the welcoming mercy of unconsciousness . . . I've seen her do it.

Instead she analyzes the desperate need for air through my pained facial expression. Her grip begins to tug me to my feet, forcing me to be quick with shuffling my weight until I'm able to stand up and meet her gaze with minor difficulty thanks to my height.

"These next few days I need to focus . . . I can't afford distractions." She says in the calmest way she can. "When everything is over I'll give you a full day's worth of my attention."

My ears practically perk up at hearing that. An entire day with her? That's a dream! . . . For all I know I am dreaming. Her grip on my neck could have me hearing things . . . Why is the ground spinning so much?

"So . . . if you're restless, please go burn that energy and come back . . . You can rest with me, but no cuddling."

After she says what she feels the need to, she releases my neck and leaves me gasping for air. I'm quick to drop down to one knee, my lungs burning with the need to be relieved of the carbon dioxide they've been forced to store. While I cough, pound a fist into my chest repeatedly, and let out silent gasps for air, I'm surprised that I can still see Cinder's feet near the top of my field of view. I figured she would've left already.

After I get enough air into my lungs to regulate my breathing to a point where I don't need to swallow oxygen, I look up at Cinder to give her a questioning look as to why she's still here. Instead of answering my silent question she continues to stare at me in somewhat of a trance-like state until she breaks the silence with an odd statement.

". . . I'm sure your gasps are the cutest things to hear."

 _What does that mean?_

". . . Just a few more days, Neo. You'll have what I promised."

Before I can reach a hand out to grasp at her outfit, she turns around and gets out of my reach, leaving me grasping at air instead of her. Almost instantly I feel myself dive into my thoughts and call out a single word before snapping back into reality.

 _Vani._

At my beckon a second voice enters my head. The cheerful giggles being the answer to my call, but I waste no time in humoring her. Instead I immediately tap into her ability to teleport and bring myself in front of Cinder with the usual blinding flash.

" _Aw! You didn't even wait for me to see what's going on, Neo!"_

 _Vani . . . please . . . not now_

"I wish you wouldn't do that flash in my face." Cinder groans. Her face radiates annoyance after she takes a moment to rub her eyes. "What do you want?"

Unsure of what to do, I make a quick motion to hug her, surprisingly getting my arms wrapped around her waist before she starts to push me back. She must really be tired if I was able to lock my arms before she could push me away. Her reaction time is usually much quicker. Most times I'd barely get my arms passed her hips before I'm stopped in my tracks.

"Behave yourself" Cinder whispers to me while she starts to pry my arms off of her. She does so by grabbing my wrists and slowly pulling my hands apart, then guides me a couple of steps back by pushing my arms away. Before she lets go however, she takes the chance to lower herself just enough to press her lips to my forehead. "Soon you'll be whole . . . and I'll be a completely different person."

This time she walks away in a brisker pace. Just by the violent sway to her hips I know not to pursue her this time around, but I truly want to. I know what she's talking about, but I want her to understand that I don't need it . . . I'm happy as I am . . . as she made 's annoying to deal with Coco, Vani and Berry all the time . . . but they keep things interesting, I guess.

I decide to continue making my way to the airship. I decide it may be better to blink my way there and do so without a second thought. My arrival is accompanied by the usual white flash, but there's nobody around to be shocked by it.

I'm quick to board the airship and find a seat, waiting for the time unknown to me when it will depart. Hopefully that'll be soon.

"The way I see it, if we're on guard duty we may as well enjoy a drink or two. Come on, on me at least." I hear a voice from within the airship. It's somewhat deep, but still easily identifiable as female.

"I told you I have no interest in-" The second voice cuts in. This one seems a little more feminine as well as 'proper' while the other is more informal.

"I know that . . . but we got off on the wrong foot. I'm not gonna prom night your drink or anything. Cut me a break here. One drink is all I'm askin' for." The deeper, more persistent voice persists.

I could look up to match faces to voices, but I don't exactly have much interest in who they are . . . They'll be dead soon anyway.

". . . If I agree to have a single drink with you . . . will you stop being so aggressive with your words?"

"Aggressive? I've been pretty mild so far . . . but sure. I'll tone it down . . . just a little bit."

The two soon grow silent and begin a conversation that they keep at a volume that doesn't allow me to eavesdrop. I manage to pick up bits and pieces, finding out that they're apparently tailing two people who are roaming around on a Date Night.

 _I wonder if Cinder will let me take her out on a date . . . A boardwalk would be nice . . . we could walk and gaze and find a carnival . . . Oh! If we find a ferris wheel then we can go all the way to the top, look at the moon, the sea, the lights and end the night with a slow, passionate . . ."_

" _Neo~ You're getting horny again~."_ Vani sings in my mind, forcing me to jerk into an upright seated position.

 _W-was not!_

" _Sure, sure~ SooOOOooo . . . Where are we going?"_

 _Just going into Vale . . . find an Ice-cream parlor that's open._

" _Ooo, can we get Vanilla this time!?"_

 _You know what flavor I'm getting._

" _Awww, but-"_

 _I already told you._

" _Neapolitan isn't even all that! You just want to taste yourself!"_ Vanilla's voice echoes in my head, drawing out a wince from the mild headache it manages to give me.

 _Vani, I'm tired . . . Please not so loud._ I groan.

" _But I want Vanilla!_

 _You don't even taste the food I eat! You're in my head!_

" _Well if you're going to get brainfreeze again I want it to be from Vanilla! Last time you got brain freeze Coco and BerBer had to snuggle up to each other to not go sub-zero!"_

 _. . . You just made that up . . ._

" _Visit us after your next brain freeze . . ."_

I shake my head, unsure of Vani's bluffing me or telling the truth. Through a weird, confusing logic I can understand how that can happen . . . but I still believe that it's far from being the truth.

" _So . . . why didn't you just poof to Vale instead of sitting on an airship?"_ Vanilla asks after a couple of seconds of silence.

 _. . . I like nighttime . . . It's quiet, soothing, and walking is enjoyable once in awhile . . . Now get out of here . . . you're seriously giving me a headache._

On my next blink I can feel Vanilla make her exit. At that time I decide to try eavesdropping on the two that are a small distance away.

"That sounds like a useless semblance to me. It means nothing if you can see it, especially since Grimm do not possess one." The more proper voice says.

"Again with the closed-minded bullshit. Do you ever take a moment to listen to yourself? I could see one of those mural thingies you create before it's fully developed. I could see what limb you're going to move before you fully extend it. My semblance is damn good." The other one defends. If anything she sounds more like a hoodrat . . . I deal with two of them all the time.

"Sorry if I'm not impressed . . . We'll be landing soon. Where does that drunkard want us to go?"

"You just choose to ignore him, huh? We're heading here . . . then over here . . . and finally somewhere around here . . . and our last stop is here." I listen, raising an eyebrow at what sounds like a zig-zagging of destinations.

"Why are we stopping at a bar on the way back?"

"You're sharing a drink with me, remember?"

". . . How could I forget?" The proper tone sighs. Annoyance is clear as day in her tone.

"You could at least **fake** being happy . . . You have that crappy fake smile on all the time."

"Fake smile? I'll have you-"

"It's fake. Sugar coat it as much as you want, but I know a fake smile . . . I know a fake smile a mile away. So, why the hell are you in Vale?"

"Classified."

"How long?"

"Classified."

". . . Great talk." The two words are followed by a long winded silence until - "And there's the dock! Thank Remnant . . . You're one depressing piece of work."

 _. . . I hope I get the chance to poke the loud one in the face soon . . . She's . . . annoying for a lack of better words._

Within the next two minutes the ship docks itself and lets the three of us exit. I'm the first to get off with the other two taking no notice of me.

From the moment I leave the airship I find myself shaking mildly from the cold breeze of Vale. I suppose coming down here in the same outfit I wore for the tournament was a bad idea, but coming out in my standard outfit is a huge red light. With no real destination in mind I start to make my way through the streets to see if I can find myself a late night ice cream parlor. It shouldn't be too hard to find. Lots of people want ice cream after dark.

Right?


	16. The Ninjas of Love

_So, first off I've made two easter eggs in this one. One of them is videogame related. The other is anime related. The videogame one is really easy . . . Thank_ _ **Heavenoverhell**_ _for that one . . . He got the damn guy stuck in my head during one of my streams._

 _The other one is from an awesome anime that you should totally watch._

 _Second off . . ._

 _ **It's finally done! My OC drawing is done! Woop Woop!**_

 _. . . Now if I only knew how to put it somewhere you all can see it Q.Q The struggles._

 _Third . . . I've been threatened by a naga yet again . . . Someone start a petition to make me the lead star of a Monster Musume Live Action._

 _I promise it won't turn out like Avatar, Dragon Ball or Attack on Titan . . . America got better CGI._

 _Anyway, please enjoy the chapter!_

 _. . . While they're still happy_

* * *

 _ **POV: BLAKE BELLADONNA**_

 _ **Chapter 16 - The Ninjas of Love**_

 _This is possibly the greatest gift I've gotten so far._

 _So far? Make that ever. I doubt anything could top this. It's a once in a lifetime experience!_

I've always told myself that Yang manages to outdo herself every day. She has times where she's inconsiderate, rude, overly flirtatious and just annoying. Then there are times when she's the sweetest, most thoughtful person I have had the privilege of knowing. Day in and day out Yang has shown her high points and low points but I love her all the same. Right now however, I don't know whether to kiss her in front of the gathering crowd, or slap her for how expensive this ticket must've been.

"So, just take my scroll inside with you so they can scan that barcode. I'll be out here making sure nobody tries to touch my Baby." Yang says while I carefully take her scroll into my hands. Right now I'm treating the object like a porcelain vase. If I were to drop it, lose it, or have anything happen I'll lose a portion of my soul.

"Yang, this must have cost you a fortune." While I answer her I carefully tuck her scroll in my left arm, then use my right arm to remove the bike helmet.

We're still on Bumblebee in front of the book store where the crowd seems to be shortening to get in. These events usually have huge lines but the writer isn't too well known and doesn't like big groups to begin with, so a limited amount of tickets are offered, and also at a high price.

"Hey, you don't ask for the price of a gift. Just enjoy yourself. Hopefully everything is set- I mean . . . hopefully everything goes smoothly." Yang tries to play her slip of words off with a giggle but it's clear something else is going along with this. The only thing that stops me from staring her down is the fact that she's right: it's rude to ask about a gift, more so to prod over what's meant to be a surprise. "So umm . . . would a hug be a negotiable thanks?"

"A hug?" I ask but start to lean forward to press my chest to her back. "Yang, you're getting way more than hugs . . . Let me find a good day."

I make sure to say it low enough that nobody else hears, but loud enough that it gets passed the small sound barrier of her helmet. I confirm that my whisper was received when a shiver erupts through her spine, causing her shoulder blades to pinch. I'm thankful that I still have a bit of catnip in my system . . . it's keeping me from making a scene and quite possibly crying. This is something I couldn't ask anybody to outdo. Plus, it also makes it easier for me to tease Yang in a public setting . . . Knowing her she'd want to catnip me up more often, but I think 'Catnipped Blake' is someone who shouldn't come out much. I will admit that nights like these are the perfect time for it, though. Mainly because we're not around the rest of our friends. I doubt they'd let me live down some of the things I've done, despite them being relatively mild in terms of being actions contradictory to my personality.

"Come on, Blake. Line's short enough for you to get to the card. Let him scan my scroll." Yang says, nudging me with her elbow to force me off of her back. The moment I move away from her I go back to clenching her scroll tightly in my arms. Yang is quick to dismount Bumblebee to go as far as lifting me off of her motorcycle and walking me up to the door.

The small crowd that was once outside the bookstore has already gone inside, leaving very few stragglers (counting myself) and a single security guard standing outside. Once we step onto the sidewalk Yang and I both freeze in place when we realize just how large the security guard is. He easily towers above the door he's guarding and despite the mild nip in the air he doesn't find a need for a shirt and chooses to show off the pale blue tribal tattoo that covers the left side of his upper body and arm.

His arms are massive and his shoulders are no laughing matter either. I recall some of those more cartoon-like drawings where a guy would have his upper body be roughly twice the size of his lower half, and I used to think that was impossible. Even Yatsuhashi has proper body ratios despite him being nothing shy of a giant.

He has a pinkish complexion, not a single strand of hair on his head, but does have a bushy mustache that puts Professor Port's to shame. The only noticeable difference between his moustache and Port's is the fact that his is dark shade of brown, flaunting the fact that age hasn't caught up to him just yet.

For clothing he has a pair of brown leather pants with gold pieces of armor decorating the other thigh section and waistline. What I take to be his emblem is a big blue circle acting as a belt-buckle with a ram head sitting in the middle. Over his right shoulder is a blue-hued metal that covers his along the top portion of it is a noticeable white fur that is possibly the only source of warmth on him.

"Dude . . . You're HUGE!" Yang shouts to him. He gazes in our direction and raises one of his bushy brown eyebrows at us before letting out a loud, hearty.

"Well, Mother always said: "Stand behind Braum." His voice is deep and has a heavy accent that gives away he's not from around here. His healthy laugh and reaction gives me the impression that just like Yatsuhashi, he's a gentle giant.

"You need to tell me how you got your core like that. I've been trying to sharpen up down the middle." Yang says while tugging me with her to approach him. "Oh, she's going inside."

"Inside? Ticket please." He asks while reaching into his pocket to pull out a small scanner that he has to hold between his thumb and index finger to avoid breaking it. I'm quick to hold out Yang's scroll with the ticket barcode still on display.

After a couple of seconds he lines up the scanner properly and a small ping is heard along with an odd celebration chime that sounds like it would be at the victory screen of an arcade game. I look towards Yang who has this goofy smile on her face, then slowly tilt my head back so I can look up at the mountain of a man in front of me.

"Oh . . . This is . . ." he starts to say, then turns the scanner towards him to read from the small display beneath it. ". . . special ticket." Suddenly he drops down to a knee. I can practically feel the ground shake from the way he moves his weight. Even on one knee he's still towering over me, but it makes it easier to make eye contact. "You go in, you get autograph, you tell author _my shield is here for you if your pen is my sword._ Author enjoys . . . cryptic fun. Now go. Enjoy."

He practically shoos me by with constantly nudges that make me skip towards the door until I start to walk under my own strength. The moment I walk into the bookstore I take note of the excess space around the center of the room. All the low shelves of books that normally scatter the area of one of my more frequently visited bookstores are all carefully aligned against the walls.

Everyone who I saw outside upon arriving with Yang are towards the back entrance of the room where I knew the counter to be. Instead of the usual wooden clerk counter, there's a low table with a dark green silk covering it to go with the olive green carpet while also giving itself a mild contrast.

 _What was it that he said? . . . 'My shield is here for you if your pen is my sword' . . . What kind of cheesy line is that?_

I quietly place myself at the back of the line. I can hear all the excited squeals and whispers going on towards the front of the line. Most are stuttering messes when they finally get to talk to the author, but the incoherent stuttering brings a huge reality into my head; I have no idea what I'm going to say either.

On the outside I remain calm and composed, moving up with half-steps whenever the chance is given. Inside I'm a wreck, wondering what I could possibly say once I make it to the front. Of course there's the obvious _**oh, I'm your biggest fan!**_ But who would want to fall back to such a common phrase? I own all four volumes with the fifth one coming into my possession. There has to be something unique I can talk about.

Then again there's so much about the novel itself that I could go on for hours, but I doubt I'd get more than thirty seconds to introduce myself and get a couple of words in before they start to gesture that my presence is not welcomed anymore. I can understand it, though. Who would want to deal with people saying the same thing over and over again? No unique insight, no real conversation starter, nothing but the false oath that they are the true number one fan of the series. It's bothersome for one, and it slowly molds the community into faceless shadows . . . Clones even.

 _Well . . . The symbolism from volume two was amazing for one, then for it to be touched on again so lightly in volume four was genius._

I begin arguing with myself to find something to talk about. It becomes apparent that a situation like this is not easy to deal with. I can feel myself sympathizing with the stuttering people from earlier. They stepped up first and are now dealing with the fact that they didn't prepare themselves with what to say.

 _Come on, Blake! What are you supposed to say!? One of the few times I wish I was a good ice-breaker like Yang. Maybe walking out now would be better . . . Wait, did I just think about walking out!? Yang spent a fortune on this! I can't cop out now!_

"Hey, you're next, Kittycat." An all too familiar voice whispers to me.

"Yang?" I turn to my right to see her standing with a big smile on her face. For a moment my worries get the best of me and I find myself clinging onto her with a bearhug. The slight hesitation Yang has in returning my hug makes me realize just how random and startling the gesture must have been.

"Hm . . . this isn't an **I love you** hug, is it?" She asks while placing her left arm around my waist, then using her right arm to carefully pry me off of her. "Don't be nervous, Blake. Come on."

Just like that I'm being lead towards the set up table where a small stack of books sits off to the left side of it. Sitting behind it is a tall, pale man that seems slightly skinnier than average. His hair is a jet black, complemented with amber eyes. He is clean cut, but the slight tint in his skin suggests he shaves on a regular basis. His face is oddly rectangular and his gaze is harmless, but focused.

He's wearing a smoke-black polo shirt that has two white rings circling near the end of each sleeve. On the right corner of the desk I take note of a pair of reading glasses which are very common among most writers. Some people don't realize that their vision will falter faster from reading as opposed to playing a videogame or watching television.

"Hello. Aren't you two a nice couple?" He opens up when we reach the desk. At time same time he starts to reach over for a book and Yang takes the opportunity to speak up.

"Love the series. Blake over here got me hooked in on it. Oh, my name's Yang." Yang slides her arm off of my waist and nudges me forward, forcing me to stop my momentum by placing my hands on the table. "She's the big fan, though. Has every novel, re-read them plenty . . . and those things make her smile more consistently than I do."

Yang's jokes draw out a couple of giggles and snerks from him. He takes the time to flip through the pages briefly to make sure there's no visible damages, then goes on to spell out Yang and my full names on two separate copies before adding a personal message to each of us inside the cover page.

Yang continues to crack jokes and eventually leads into a story on the first time she ended up reading Ninjas of Love. That one occasion had her so confused on the plot that she was forced to read back to the first volume just to understand the significance of one scene.

While the two of them talk I continue to stand silently, unsure of what to say or when it may be an appropriate time to jump in. That is, until he turns to me and makes a point of pulling me into it.

"So, Blake. Braum over there is gesturing for something." He says, making me look over my shoulder to see the tall muscular figure bent over to see through the top of the doorway. He gives a couple of odd motions that confuse me more than explain what he's talking about, but Yang seems to catch his gestures without a problem.

"Ohhh. Blake! Tell him the code thingy." Yang translates. I nod my head and close my eyes to recite what I can recall.

" _ **My shield is here for you if your pen is my sword**_ "

The moment I finish saying that he stands up and excuses himself for about two minutes and disappears into the back room. When he comes back he is in the company of a woman that has similar features to him in the form of a pale complexion and a somewhat rectangular face, although hers is more round and less chiseled.

Her eyes have a purple hue that go wonderfully with her dark green hair. She's wearing a similar polo to his with the only difference being that the rings on her sleeves are black instead of white. He takes a seat at the table and gestures Yang and I to step aside while the next person comes up. Directly afterwards the woman who walked out with him leads us into the back room where a couple of recliners and a TV are set up.

Just like the main room, the walls are decorated with books that I assume to be extra inventory to add to what's already outside. For lighting I spot a bright light coming from a ceiling fan that sits in the center of the room. If I had to guess this is simply a storage closet that was made comfortable for a couple of hours.

"So you're the _**real**_ writer, huh?" Yang says after the door is closed behind us. I turn to her in confusion and in response she mouths the word 'Braum'.

"That's not entirely true. I've written most of it, but the gentleman outside, Randy, has contributed more than enough. It's a pleasure to meet you Blake. I'm Marie, the primary writer for Ninjas of Love." She says while extending her right hand. I shakily reach out to return the gesture. I can feel my cheeks lifting into one of my widest smiles thanks to meeting her, and actually having the author I've grown to adore call me by name.

"Well, I'll be outside . . . Braum said he could take my cross to the gut." Yang excuses herself and slides out the door, leaving me with a dumbfounded look on my face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I finally manage to say. Yang practically broke the ice for me. I'm guessing she got friendly with security and he let her step in for a couple of minutes. She's just piling up how much I need to pay her back at this point. Well, not **need** but **want**.

"No need to be nervous. Tell me about yourself. What got you into the series? What's your favorite volume? Any favorite plot points?" She throws out four different things for me to answer off the top of her head while she takes a seat in one of the black, leather recliners before offering me a seat in one of the others.

Soon enough the two of us are seated and talking about Ninjas of Love. Yet somewhere along the line the conversation shifts to my relationship with Yang but I don't feel bothered about it at all. Not even five minutes into our conversation and I begin to view her more as 'Marie' and less as the author of my favorite book. She's polite, seems into my stories of Yang going into my locker to take my books or reading them after I've fallen asleep (romancing portions being left out of course), and overall appears to be listening to me as a person and not as another boring reader with the same thing to say.

"Wait, so she knew you well enough to guess a four digit locker combination _**and**_ read one of the other volumes within a single night? That's impressive on both regards." She says before taking a glimpse at a small display. "One in the morn already? Huh, time flies. So, it's almost time for me to begin clearing out of here, _**but**_ . . . I do have a little something for you."

While she talks she gets out of her chair and starts to fish through one of the many shelves in the small room. After a while she pulls out a book and brings it over to me without letting me see the cover. She opens up the cover and fishes out a pen from her pocket with her right hand before writing something inside. After whatever she writes, she hits the point of the pen to the page, probably to dot an I or punctuate.

"There." She says and hands me the open book. I eagerly look to read the short message written in cursive.

 _To a fan, a friend, and a true ninja of love to the series._

 _-Blake Belladonna_

 _From the Ninja behind the pen._

After reading the message I quickly close the cover to see what book she decided to write it on. It takes me two glances, both only about half a second each to read the title. Just like I did with Yang's scroll I clench the book to my chest with both arms, refusing to let it get even an inch from me.

"Yup, show your girlfriend. I'm sure she'll like it too." Marie says with a smile.

"Wait, how did you know she's my-"

"I'm a popular author . . . Social media tends to be a necessity in my life, and all that's being talked about is a match that everyone's dubbing _**Burning Bullets and Fighting Fauna**_. At least that's the most recent one . . . I'm sure a new title will be out in about an hour or two. Good luck in the tournament. I plan to be there." Marie steps over to me and drapes her right arm over my shoulder while she walks me out. "Don't let everyone know there's two people working on this. We share a pen name."

As we exit the door I pause while I think about what she just said. Honestly, there has never been a name on the cover. There's simply been a caption reading: **By the Ninja of Love** , and the author space is always left blank.

"Wait, what is your pen name?" I finally ask, realizing it to be quite odd for an author not to label their work or have a name to go by when they're moderately popular amongst avid readers.

"It's right there." She says very nonchalantly before gesturing to an empty space next to where the word ' **Author:'** lies.

Right before I can question her on it, a quick flash is made in the form of Yang snapping a quick photo with her scroll before putting it away.

"Sorry, go on!" She snickers and walks back out the door. From here I can see Bumbleby but I can also hear the engine running, making me think Yang just got back from somewhere.

"Anyway . . ." I resume, looking at the empty space in question. "It's blank . . ."

"There you go."

I look at her in confusion, but instead of getting an answer she gently nudges me towards the exit and goes back to her small room to pack up. I'm quick to make my way outside, the new book still cradled tightly in my arms.

"So, whatcha get from her?" Yang asks the moment I get out the door. I watch as she opens the back compartment of her bike. She reaches into it and pulls out the two books we were originally given. She lifts the one on top off of the other and gives me the chance to place it down in between them. "There, that'll keep it cushioned. So, what is it?"

I smile as wide as I have been all night. The evening's gotten better and better, but now that everything's come to an apex I can feel a slight fatigue hit me that'll slowly progress all the way back to the dorm unless Yang finds something as exciting as everything else to keep me awake. On top of the club trip, the book signing, and getting to meet my favorite author, Yang pulls out yet another gift in the form of a bike helmet. It's black just like the other one, but this one has cat ears on the top of them with a bit of a techno design in the form of the inner part of the ears resembling speakers or a sub-woofer. Normally I'd be upset, but the label on the back of the helmet reveals that it's a faunus-friendly brand. A quick peek inside the helmet and as expected the ears on the helmet aren't just for show. Inside the helmet are two slots to fit my ears, making it much easier to wear one of Yang's helmets without much discomfort.

"Oh, the book?" I ask while carefully fitting on the helmet and flipping the visor open. "You're going to love it . . . We now have two volumes of Ninjas of Love to read." I say to her, fighting every urge not to squeal which is something I've never done in front of many people, and I don't want a slip up where Yang will forever remember such a high-pitched sound.

Day One of the Vytal Festival is over, I can't wait to see what happens next. Nothing could pry me from Yang's arms. Not after tonight.


	17. When The Clock Strikes Midnight

_So, here is chapter 17 . . .Record time I know . . . Eat that ya damn Naga.  
_

 _Anyway, I had some fun and put in two RWBY Chibi references . . .I'm sure you can see one from here. I wonder if you can find the other one. I also made a very tough 'Brave' reference to find. It's a similar line to the opening narration, so someone let me know if you caught on to it._

 _I also added another Australian word I know :D Yay for Velvet involvement_

 _Now, I know everyone who reads this isn't American. Hell, for all I know most of my readers could hate Americans (Love me!), but I now have spoken with two of my readers who are in the military, and now one who is getting ready to serve. I just want to give my thanks to those people. It's a dangerous line of work and something to be proud of._

 _I can smell the hate mail now lol._

 _Here is chapter 17. Please enjoy, leave a review . . . and I already know most of you are going to want to kill me with the ending. I'm flying to Japan._

 _Also, there's a flashback in this chapter, but what I did differently is I did a double line break at the beginning and end of it just to see how people like it as opposed to the single line break. Give me your opinion on it. It's a small difference, I know, but cosmetics are a big part of proper writing and appealing to readers._

 _Also, I took a different writing style with this chapter. It's not dialogue heavy at all at the start, and most of the way through. Let me know if I did a good job there!_

 _ **POV: WEISS SCHNEE**_

 _ **Chapter 17 - When The Clock Strikes Midnight  
**_

"So then I said ' _now_ _ **that's**_ _a katana.'_ I'm never reading it again."

It's nice like this. Everyone gathered around a single table and enjoying some laughs with healthy conversation. As expected, with this being the one place on the fairgrounds, as well as the only thing occupying the entire fairground in the late hours of night, it definitely lives up to the set expectations. The entire place is like a giant gazebo with wooden pillars everywhere to secure the structure. Dim lighted ceiling fans offering a proper amount of light to see all surroundings while also not being too bright that it disturbs the vision. In the very center of the room is a large, circular bar. Standing at the center of the bar is possibly every ingredient known to man to create the perfect liquor for any and all who approach. From this angle you can only see half of the full stock, but I doubt the other half is any less impressive.

Thanks to our large party we were guided towards the outer edge of the establishment and placed on a table that can fit a maximum of eight people. We were originally going to settle for taking two tables for four and placing them together to have the perfect amount of room for six, but we unexpectedly bumped into two fellow peers from Beacon and decided to come as a party of eight. Because of that we're now seated at a sizable round table that's well-polished and well-shellacked, giving it a beautiful gleam in the dim lighting.

Being seated at the very edge of the area hurt my pride a bit, but everyone else seemed unnerved so I was against making a scene. Actually taking the time to enjoy the scenery now, I'm glad that we were placed here. I have easy access to the stars, tracing the constellations I recall learning about before my days at Beacon and the stories that follow them. The slow moving fragments of the shattered moon beckon me to stare and analyze each and every independent motion as they dance near the larger mass.

Since this is the only spot in the fairgrounds and it also takes up the entire space as well, directly behind me are several trees that employees have been walking in and out of. A closer inspection of the lamp-lit path gives way to a grounded airship that seems to be where all the cooking is done since there isn't much access to those utensils in the middle of a fair.

Directly across from me are Pyrrha and Jaune, possibly the newest and slowest-progressing couple. With Ruby's story at an end and the punchline made Pyrrha sits back in her chair since she no longer needs to lean in to hear over the crowd. The punchline leaves everyone with an amused chuckle and the next person to begin telling a story is Jaune, who is off to Pyrrha's left (slightly right of me when I look at Pyrrha).

To Jaune's left is the couple that's not ' _together_ _ **together**_ '. Ren and Nora have always had their oddities in comparison to one another. Ren the silent, Ninja-like member of Team JNPR. Then there's Nora: the loud powerhouse and heavy hitter of their team. It's tough to imagine how they've come this far as well as the patient pace they seem to be developing in. Nora doesn't seem to be one for waiting, and Ren doesn't seem like a person to lead others on. With those two things in mind, I suppose there must be an agreement between the two of them.

To my left are the two that we bumped into accidentally, and ironically they are also the source of a portion of Blake's stress although it's not their fault. We bumped into Coco and Velvet while making our way to the airship. It was easy to pick up that Coco was restless and Velvet was accompanying her team leader out of concern, but the two played it off as taking a 'late night stroll'. The closer of the two to me is Velvet who takes the chance to lightly nudge my shoulder to get my attention. I lean towards her, giving her my left ear while I listen to Jaune telling a story about his seven sisters sending him to the pharmacy to get them something . . . and for some reason they were all very grumpy and aggressive that morning . . . I can only imagine that what he had to buy will be the punchline.

"Thanks for letting us come along. I just need to run back to the room and get my purse. Coco forgot hers." Velvet says to excuse herself. I make sure to stop her attempts at standing by placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Your meal's on me, Velvet. Just enjoy yourselves." I reassure her. Coco overhears me and can't help but take the chance to joke around at my generosity.

"Don't think we're taking bribes to let Blake and Yang win." She says with her confident smile, enhanced by her usual dark shades and beret that add to how she carries herself.

"First off, it's not a bribe. Second off, we don't even know if we'll be matched up against you two." I counter Coco's playful taunt right before Nora and Ruby both scream.

"Jaune! Gross!" The two yell in unison, possibly catching the punchline of his story that I caught onto long ago.

Right, Ruby. How could I forget my own girlfriend sitting to my right. She's seems to be the happiest of all after getting to spend time with our friends. I think all of us needed to de-stress after the incident in the fairgrounds. But like Jaune said, we'll leave Blake to Yang and check on her in the morning.

"So Weiss," Jaune calls out my name, snapping my focus back towards everyone as a whole. "Got any fun stories to share until our appetizers come?"

The way this restaurant works, a party of six or more are entitled to an appetizer menu since cooking every meal will no doubt take a sizable amount of time. The appetizers are complementary since there's already going to be a 20% gratuity for our waitor. Right now we're waiting on two orders of breadsticks, an order of mini tacos, and an order of breaded calamari.

"A fun story?" I echo with a question, thinking back to the few times in my childhood where 'fun' was an accessible word. They were few and far between. "I think I may have one . . . "

* * *

Life at home was never easy. Piano lessons, singing lessons, fencing lessons, lessons about dust, lessons about the company, lessons on proper etiquette, the list goes on and on unfortunately. However, there was always one day of the week where I was free of it all. No lessons, no lectures; it was a day where I was free to do as I please: Saturday.

Normally I'd stay isolated in my room and have my cake butler prepare me something unique. With all the walking around the house I did on a regular basis there was no worry of me gaining weight from a single pastry once a week. However, this time I decided to venture into the kitchen and watch him in action.

"M-Miss Schnee! Forgive me if I'm taking longer than usual! I'll have it done in seconds, I assure you." The well-dressed chef said in a panic. He has black hair that is combed back with a single strand that falls over the bridge of his nose, originating from his widow's peak. He always keeps his moustache thin and well trimmed, never allowing it to link underneath his nose to keep a more dignified look with his facial hair.

Back then I was only about fourteen years old, but I think my mean streak was worse then as opposed to now.

"No rush. I'm just here to observe. I've never baked or seen a cake being baked . . . It has my interest." I say, offering him my warmest smile.

Thinking back to it now, I suppose being in the kitchen with him wasn't the best idea I've had. It was clear he was nervous. Who wouldn't be nervous when their boss' daughter is eying everything they do like a hawk? One word to Father and he would be out of the mansion before he could say 'Nevermore'.

But despite me seeing how nervous he was, I decided to make conversation. I learned he studied the art of pastries for over ten years before he was offered a job for my father. He had two kids: two girls. They lived a decent way on the other side of Atlas with his wife, but he was promised Tuesdays and Thursdays off to spend time with his family. I've never told anyone this, but that day he told me why his family was so far away from the manor. His wife was actually a cat faunus and the way she would hide her black tail is by sending it through the loops of any jeans she wore to disguise it as a belt. Most were none-the-wiser.

Back on track.

So the entire time he's cooking I look on with interest. The way it heats up in the oven and rises, the care he takes in assuring the batter is perfect. However, as all kids do, I got sidetracked and begin to look around. Soon enough I spotted a small, single slice of chocolate cake sitting on the adjacent counter . . . although it was big and square, not triangular.

"So, for whom did you make that one for?" I ask, brainwashed into pronouncing all of my syllables as loud and clear as can be. Believe it or not, my manner of speaking used to be far more formal until I learned a balance between casual and formal speech.

"Oh! That is for a friend, Miss Schnee. I wouldn't recommend tasting it. It doesn't have a flavor someone of your stature would appreciate." He says. I decided to leave it at that and go back to watching him putting the finishing touches on a hot-fudge filled cake with a single scoop of ice cream at the top, complimented with a careful application of chocolate syrup. He was always amazing with his creations, and unfortunately I do recall I was having my . . . lady issues that week, so chocolate was a wonderful solution.

"I'll bring this to your room, Miss Schnee. If you'd follow me."

He quickly put the cake underneath a silver cover and carried it on one hand without turning back to look at me. Being young(er) still, I grew curious to the chocolate cake and went on to wrap it carefully in a napkin before taking it with me. I made a point of taking a longer path to my room, assuring he wouldn't be there when I arrived so I can enjoy the cake he prepared for me, as well as the creation I have grown so curious about.

After eating the cake he made for me I went on to try the other, but I only got halfway through it before Sebastian came knocking at my door. I was quick to call him in and his reaction was slightly uncomposed for him. He's always maintained a smile and a straight face, but this time he was in a mild panic. He even took me into the backyard to kill a few hours while the side effects of that cake passed by.

* * *

"It wasn't a cake. It was a brownie that was made for Sebastian . . . and the contents were well . . . hallucinogenic." I conclude with a blush creeping up on my face.

"Weiss! That wasn't- You didn't have- It was one of _**those**_ brownies?" Pyrrha asks with a dropped jaw.

"I hope none of my sisters ever have one of those." Jaune murmurs with a shake of his head.

"I hope that man didn't lose his job." Ren speaks up, and I quickly let him know that the brownie incident remained between Sebastian, the chef and myself.

"So, Weiss . . . how was the trip?" Nora asks with a growing smirk.

"Well . . . I didn't remember much . . . I do recall that afterwards Sebastian told me I was trying to fence with him with a twig claiming him to be Winter on rollerskates." I answer.

"I hope it wore off quickly." Velvet speaks up next with both hands over her lips, shocked at the conclusion.

"Weiss, we definitely need to hang out with that cake butler of yours. Him and I: Party buds." Coco says next, but gets slugged in the arm by Velvet who doesn't seem too fond of Coco taking part in that sort of brownie.

"I . . . don't get it. What was in the brownie?"

All at once we all go silent and turn towards Ruby who is clueless on the matter. The laughs, gasps, snickers and chuckles all die down immediately as we ponder how to explain it to Ruby, or if we should even bother trying to explain it.

"Well," Ren starts, figuring he may be the best to explain it since nobody makes an attempt to stop him, "Are you aware of drugs, Ruby? Not the pharmaceutical kind."

Ruby nods her head and gives a suggestive tap to her nose, indicating she knows of one of them at least, but that gesture makes me jump slightly.

"Ruby!" I shout at her with a mild gasp.

"I didn't do it, Weiss! I watched Scarface!" She quickly defends after realizing my assumption.

"Oh . . ."

"Well, it is possible to put those ingredients into a brownie . . . It supposedly reduces the time it takes for the drug to take effect, as well as enhance the effects it has." Ren concludes before going silent.

"Wait so . . . you had . . . at fourteen!? Weiss that's worse than Yang!" Ruby shouts in a serious tone, but everyone else finds it humorous that the sister of someone as barbaric and ' _ **adventurous**_ ' as Yang just claimed me to be worse.

"It wasn't by choice, Ruby! Had I known what was in that devious pastry I would never have taken it!" I defend while everyone else laughs at how lively Ruby and I get during small debates like this.

Suddenly there's a small flash that makes the two of us turn to see Velvet's camera out and the shutter re-opening after taking a picture. Ruby and I both gasp and give a disapproving 'hey' to Velvet who offers her warmest smile before snapping another photo now that the two of us are looking her way.

"You two are just soo cute togetha." Velvet says, her accent slipping out on the last word. "Aren't they, Coco?"

"Cutest couple in Beacon I'd say . . . Although me and Bon Bon got dibs on the 'Sweetest Couple' title." Coco says while swinging her right arm around Velvet's waist to tug the rabbit faunus against her with her usual smirk. "Say, I never did hear the story on how you two . . .y'know. If I remember my team was out on a mission during that . . . Weren't we?"

"We were Coco." Velvet nods. "It was before the dance . . . We had to go with Port to clear out a Grimm hive."

"Oh yeaaah . . . Then Yang and Blake hook up during the dance and became the highlight of the whole damn thing. Sucks we missed it." Coco sighs. "Anyway, do tell . . . I'm all ears . . . so is she." Coco gives a gesture to Velvet while snickering.

The appetizers are just arriving when Coco asks. I decide to tell the story anyway, starting with the incident of me waking up with Ruby's face inches from my own, resulting in a loud laugh from Coco along with several snickers from everyone else.

I reach for a breadstick and Ruby quickly takes over in telling the story, but makes a point to backtrack and explain how that situation began and her mindset during the entire event. It brings a blush to my face hearing her talk about it since she admits several times over that she was fighting an uphill battle with her feelings for a while.

After I finish my breadstick Ruby reaches for one, causing me to pick up where she left off which is the event of Yang's attempt at landing her right cross on me. Ruby and I continue to go back and forth, taking turns with adding details and explaining what happened in painfully accurate detail with Team JNPR taking interest as well since we didn't explain it this thoroughly to them at first.

By the time we get to the kiss that sealed the deal our food arrives with perfect timing. Nora and Ren both ordered burgers and fries. Ren's is a veggie burger while Nora went for the Beef-in-a-bun special. Jaune ordered steak with rice while Pyrrha asked for fish and fries so the two of them could share their dishes with each other. Coco and Velvet decided to get the same order of a vegetable gyro. The only difference between the two is the fact that Velvet asked if it was possible to get carrots in hers. The fact that her ears are easily noticeable made her order very understandable and taken care of without a second thought on the matter. Ruby decided on a spicy barbecue burger with extra pickles while I went for a simple salmon with a sizable salad as a side.

"Woah . . . there's a problem here." Coco calls out after our plates are served and a second waiter is placing down the sodas, lemonades and waters to their respective person. "Hey, Waiter . . . Give me the best shot you got. If you pull out a gun I swear you're getting a handbag to the head."

The waiter snickers, understanding Coco's joke before he walks towards the bar in the middle of the room, coming back a couple of minutes later with a tall, brown glass with an unidentifiable liquid in it.

"It's a strong one, Miss Adel . . . I'd recommend sharing it." He says before walking away. It doesn't surprise me he knew Coco by name, she's a bit of a celebrity, most likely bigger than Yang since Yang is known mostly by one audience only.

"Strong, huh?" Coco leans down and takes a sniff of the liquid before jerking her head back with a scoffing laugh. "Hoe-lee-shit . . . Bon Bon, up for sharing?"

"Coco, you know I don't like to drink Turps in public." Velvet sighs.

"I love your accent." Coco whispers, ignoring Velvet's words and gives the rabbit faunus a kiss on the cheek

"I know . . . you make fun of it enough." Velvet says with a look that lets Coco know she's kidding, but still has that 'matter of fact' glare to it.

"You're definitely sharing this with me now." Coco grins. "Looks like we're spending the night in your room."

"Just don't ask for a second one . . . We need to be up early."

I'm glad we bumped into them to be honest. They're very lively and keep things interesting. I wonder how the rest of Team CFVY are in settings like these.

With our food here and everyone now served, our conversation dies down while everyone enjoys the meal. I carefully take the cloth that had my utensils wrapped neatly inside and place it on my lap to assure that anything that spills will not ruin my clothing.

Nora and Ren seem to be enjoying their meal with Nora reaching underneath Ren's arm to steal a french fry from him, thinking he's unaware when the awkward placement of his arm gives away that he's making room for Nora to do that.

Jaune and Pyrrha begin sampling from each others plate. Steak and rice is easy to mix with fish and fries. The only combination out of the their meals that I can't picture tasting well together are rice and fries, but every other combination sounds tasty. It's not until Pyrrha's fish is almost picked clean that she takes Jaune's next piece and tries to feed it to him from her fork. The display form Pyrrha is enough to earn coos of adoration from Velvet, Coco and Nora, leaving Jaune blushing up a storm while being pressured into taking the piece of fish after a long delay. The cheer that erupts from our table earns odd looks from some of the other people sitting nearby, although most of them start to join into the cheer for no reason whatsoever. I've never been in such a friendly atmosphere before.

"That took you way too long, Jaune. You act like you haven't kissed her already." Coco sighs, but the way Jaune and Pyrrha look at each other, then look away makes Coco go wide eyed enough that you could see her eyebrows arching over her sunglasses. "Wait . . . You two _**are**_ dating, right?"

The shield duo nod their heads without looking Coco's way, earning an even more shocked expression from her. I decide to look down at Coco's drink. It isn't even halfway done, but considering the warning that was given to her, I assume it's already taking effect. Velvet on the other hand has been very quiet and gazing around with a half-aware stare that shows what a small amount of the substance is capable of.

"Alright . . . Velvet, Nora, help me out here." Coco says before clearing her throat.

Everyone at the table with exception to the half of Team CFVY that are with us share quick glances with each other. It's not until the first word Coco shouts out that Jaune and Pyrrha's faces both pale with everyone around them soon joining in.

"Kiss . . . . kiss . . . . kiss . . . kiss . . kiss . kiss kiss kiss!" Coco shouts, hyping up everyone with the increased tempo. Slowly but surely more voices join in, the chants getting louder, more arms raised into the air to fist pump each time the chant repeats. Even Ruby joins in, leaving Ren and I as the only two to not participate with exception to the couple being pressured to lock in their affections

The roars of the crowd make the recent couple slowly look over their shoulders into a sea of drunkards, happy groups of friends, and simple chant followers that rally to force a first kiss between Jaune Arc - A simple boy with no outstanding qualities aside from his values in friendship, and Pyrrha Nikos - The world renowned fighter that has been placed on a pedestal for most of her life. My prime concern about this is the fact that many of Pyrrha's fans are at this tournament. Should word get around that someone kissed her would cause an uproar and leave Jaune with a giant target sign on his back.

I zone in on Jaune and Pyrrha, spotting their lips moving with unhearable words thanks to the crowd drowning out all noise within a two foot radius of me. They continue to talk for a couple of seconds before simultaneously jumping to their feet. The sudden motion brings everyone to a silence almost instantly while the recently romanced half of Team JNPR lock eyes in front of everyone.

The silence that dawns occurs just in time for the distant clock tower of Beacon to chime and indicate midnight has just hit. I personally think a kiss between them - concerns about Jaune aside - would be wonderful for them both.

Although it's not Ruby and I standing in front of hundreds.


	18. A Night To Remember

_Well, you're not dreaming, and you're not seeing things._

 _Yes, I've updated. Shut the fuck up and appreciate it._

 _Alright, I get it . . .I've been gone. I know, I was there. But, here's another chapter . . .and it's just as much of a dickhead ending as the last one . . . because I love pissing you all off._

 _I'd like to thank Mr Bubbles, though. His review got me in the mood to start and finish this chapter in a couple of hours while Soullessheart was kind enough to keep me company while I typed this out. You two are awesome._

 _So, here's chapter 18. Enjoy . . .and for fuck's sake, give me a review._

* * *

 _ **POV: YANG XIAO LONG**_

 _ **Chapter 18 - A Night To Remember**_

* * *

"Just a few more minutes, Blakey. We're almost back."

"I don't care! I want to sleep!"

"Fine . . . I'll carry you."

It's been an amazing day. Far more amazing than I could have ever hoped for. We've just gotten off the docking station and Blake's fatigue has finally begun to settle in. Nights like these aren't alien to me, so figuring how this could be Blake's first time staying out this long on a night of fun makes me all the happier at how tired and cranky she's getting. We have all three of our books carefully placed in a bag. On top of that I have her new helmet on my head. I didn't have enough room for three helmets in the storage unit of Bumbleby, so I figured it may be a good idea to bring this into Beacon and see if Blake needs it spaced out in any way.

We decided to take a seat on the grass just a few feet from where the airships land. Right now I have my back against one of the coliseum-like pillars with Blake comfortably lying on her back with her head on my lap. She always hates to admit it, but she loves my lap pillow.

After the bookstore we thought it'd be best to head back to Beacon. I dropped Blake off at the airship, leaving her alone for two minutes while I had Bumbleby put away. Throughout the entire airship ride all she could talk about was how amazing it was to meet her favorite writer. I love seeing her happy.

Now that we're away from all the excitement, the adrenaline doesn't seem to be keeping her up anymore. She needs to rest, but my legs are killing me from having a shoving contest with Braum. The guy has some killer balance to not get sent flying by an aura-reinforced palm thrust. Blake's not too willing to walk, I may not have the strength to carry her, and we still need to be up tomorrow in case we're up next for the double's round.

"Yang?" Blake calls out during a loud and lengthy yawn.

"What's up, Kittycat?" I ask while my left hand rests on the top of her head, settled between her faunus ears without touching either.

"It's been a great night." She says it in such a flat way that I almost feel offended. It's not until she sits up and presses her lips to my cheek that I feel more satisfied at her response. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Kittycat. Let's rest for a few minutes, alright? I'll get us too the room."

 _How I'm gonna do that is still a mystery . . ._

There's not much that I can do in terms of moving us at the moment. To be honest I'm just as tired as she is, but I'm more adapted to it than her. Seeing Miltiades was a big plus for me tonight. Blake seems to have a friendly thing going on with Melanie too, so who knows . . . a double date wouldn't seem too far from an idea.

 _Wait, who would take who then? Do I take Blake or Miltia?_

A sudden breeze of cold air takes my mind off of my zig-zagging thoughts of who-dates-who. More importantly, I can feel Blake shiver from the wind which immediately makes me pull her even tighter against me while I exert a little more of my aura. She's cold and tired, and I'm not too far from being just as tired as she is. I guess wasting what little energy I have left to get us to the room isn't that bad of an idea.

"Hold onto your books, Blakey. I'm gonna pick you up, kay?"

Just like some stereotypical schoolgirl out of the shows she watches, she cradles her three new books against her chest to keep them as secure as possible while I start to lean forward to get myself to a knee, forcing her to sit upright in the meantime.

"Up we go." I say to her, trying to lighten the mood while I slide my right arm underneath her knees and let her lean back so my left arm presses against the small of her back. In one motion I toss her roughly a foot into the air so I can move to my feet before catching her again. "And we're off."

I'm glad we were able to at least make it to the courtyard. It cuts our travel time down pretty significantly. Normally, Blake would've walked to the tree next to our window and climbed up from there, but she's not in much of a mood to exert herself any more than she has already.

As I walk by the large fountain, listening to the sounds of splashing water, I can't help but notice the death glare she's giving the fountain out the corner of her eye. I have half a mind to tease her about it, but who knows how close she is to slapping me if I make another cat joke? I already have enough with her getting high off of catnip . . . and drinking straight milk in a club.

Once we get away from the fountain I can feel her start to relax again, at least until I need to bother her for a small favor when we approach the entrance to the dormitorium.

"Blakey, can you kick the door for me?" I ask, turning sideways at the same time to make use of her legs as a battering ram. Blake, on the other hand decides to not take the battering ram approach. Instead she presses the balls of her feet to the door and gives a quick flick of her ankle to force one of the doors open. In that timespan I quickly slide through the door, using my back to hold it open and make sure Blake's head doesn't hit the doorway.

Once we're inside, we repeat the process two more times. Once to open up the door at the bottom of the stairwell, then again when we get to our floor.

"Coco, stop that!" As we enter the hallway, I can hear the mild accent of Velvet while she appears to be arguing with her team leader.

"Come on, Bon Bon! Jush open the door already." A slurring Coco calls out soon after.

As I carry Blake down the hall I can see Coco apparently kissing up Velvet's neck while the poor faunus girl shivers, shakes, and tries to line up her scroll to her door with unsteady hands. I can't help but wonder where they managed to find drinks and still get here roughly at the same time as us even though we didn't spot them on the airship . . . which was one of the last airships coming in from Vale.

When we get close enough to them, I figure I should offer a helping hand and make use of Blake legs to lightly tap Velvet and Coco on their respective rears. When they both turn to us, somewhat dumbfounded at the fact that I'm carrying a half-conscious half-kitty in my arms I snatch Velvet's scroll on her door, kick it open and frisby the scroll towards her bed before shimmying by them right after.

"Have fun you two." I sing out, then make my turn at the three-way intersection to go down the next hall where our dorm is.

"D-don't encourage her, Yan-ooo" Velvet starts to say before something cuts her off.

"I still know your sweet spots, Bon Bon . . . C'mere, you."

Sheesh . . .and I thought I was bold.

As we make it to our team's room I start to fiddle around with trying to get into my pockets. It's clear that's not going to work, so instead I turn to let Blake lightly kick at the door to knock for me.

"Hello~~~ Get dressed and open the door, you two!" I call while Blake makes light kicks of her feet in hopes of getting their attention.

Surprisingly, it only takes a couple of seconds before Weiss comes to the door and beckons us inside. Once I slide in and the door closes behind us, she decides to tap me on the back of the head.

"Could you be any louder? It's passed midnight." She groans. She's already in her nightgown, meaning she was ready to sleep.

"How did the night go?" Ruby calls out.

I look towards her bunk, expecting to see her rose pajamas and blank tank top contrasting with the white bedsheet she uses for privacy, but instead my eyes are down towards Weiss' bed where Ruby is comfortably lying against the wall with herself partially covered (just uncovered enough for me to tell that she's dressed) and with a wrinkled mess of bedsheets in front of her, marking where Weiss was before she got up to answer the door.

"It was good . . . let me just put my tired Kittycat down." I say before I place her down on her bed. I'm careful with letting her get comfortable with her head on a pillow before I even bother trying to take her books from her. It's not until I promise her that they'll be placed on her nightstand that she lets go of them, although there's still clear reluctance on her part. With her books out of the way and her covers underneath her, I decide to reach for my bed to take my blanket to keep her warm with, at least until I join her - which I plan on.

"Alright, Ice Queen . . . I'll give you a head start." I warn, a smile coating my face now that I don't have to worry about Blake.

"I told you she was serious, Princess!" Ruby calls out. I watch as my sister scoots to the edge of Weiss' bed to enjoy the show.

"Yang . . . I will not run into the hallway" Weiss says while taking a very hesitant step towards the door.

"Ruby . . . you're going to need to follow along." I warn my sis before taking a step towards Weiss, making the heiress take another step towards the door to keep a fixed distance between us. "You got three seconds, Ice Queen."

"Yang, if you put a single hand on me, I swear I'll-"

"One."

"Stop that, this instant!"

"Two."

Before I can say three she darts for the door, taking off to the left in the direction of Velvet's room. Hopefully if those two are still in the hallway it'll give me an easier time catching up to her.

". . . Three." I look towards Ruby, getting a nod and a thumbs up from her before I take off at full speed to pursue the over generous heiress.

I run out the door and look left, spotting Weiss running very uncomfortably from being barefoot. I take off at full speed in pursuit.

Every few seconds I see Weiss look over her shoulder at me like a stereotypical girl from a horror movie until I close the gap enough that she faces forward to continue in a full sprint - which is still inferior to my pace.

By the time we get to the three-way intersection, I notice that Velvet's door is closed, meaning the two are already inside, destroying my hopes for a way of slowing Weiss down, but with how slow she's running, I doubt I'd need the help. That is, until she uses her semblance.

Just before I can reach out and grasp the back of her nightgown, she jumps towards the wall on the left, just shy of the intersection and forms a glyph there. In the moment itakes her to bend her legs and touch the wall with her hands and feet, she propels herself with a bizarre amount of speed in the opposite direction, making her go down the right path.

With her glyph still lingering on the wall, I jump and push my left foot against it to help me change my momentum so I can keep close to Weiss who just jumped ahead several meters in the blink of an eye.

Fucking, hell. She's gonna make me think I'm ugly if this keeps up.

Thankfully, the hall we're in is a dead end unless she decides to take the stairwell, and when I see her pass by the door to the stairs, I slow to a jog, then a walking pace since there's no other way she could possibly go that doesn't involve trying to get passed me.

"And boom goes the dynamite." I announce when she realises her mistake and stops at the end of the hall. "So, Ice Queen . . . pick your poison. You can pucker up and take the peck, or you can make me pin you to the floor and give you a real good one."

Weiss is far too stubborn to simply stand still and take a peck. She's too stubborn to admit that I give good hugs to my face. I needed Rubes to tell me about that one. If I had to guess, she's going to try to glyph herself around me . . . I just need to figure out which direction she'll try it in. If she tries left or right I can easily pin her to a wall. If she goes straight at me, I'll catch her. If she tries to go underneath me, I can sit on her . . . That means her only option is up.

With a quick checklist on Weiss' escape options already checked off, I continue to walk towards her, keeping an eye out for her glyph, or for her to gaze above me to give away her thought.

"Yang . . . You have a girlfriend, as do I . . . I would appreciate it if you would respect our relationships and not attempt to soil me with . . . with your debauchery."

"De-botch-a-what?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. Her vocabulary always leaves me scratching my head at times.

"Just let me go back to the room so I can cuddle my girlfriend!" She shouts, a tiny version of her glyph forming on the wall behind her. She's going to try it any second now.

On my next step towards her I see her hop into the air as well as her glyph growing to its standard size. At the same time I take off from the ground, timing myself in perfect sync for when she launches off of her glyph.

The moment she realises I had her predicted is when she's already in the air, approaching the shrinking window of escape until my arms extend and practically slam shut her attempts at escape.

With the momentum she has, I am forced to cling onto her shoulders and get carried a small ways with her momentum until I'm able to get a form grip on her shoulders to spin her about, bringing the two of us into a mild corkscrew. I do my best to time our rotation with our fall, making it so most of the fall is absorbed by my shoulder before we begin to bounce and skip, allowing me to then pin her down to the ground without her needing to get any rug burn from skidding.

"Alright, Princess." I growl and kneel over her stomach, letting my weight keep her pinned while I sit upright and start cracking my knuckles. "Foreplay's done. Pucker up."

"Yang, if you bring your lips anywhere close to me, I'll-"

"You'll what?" I ask before I slam both my knuckles down on either side of her head. My blond locks fall over my shoulders, forming a tunnel of golden yellow between me and Weiss. The impact of my knuckles scares her into a moment of silence while I start to lower my upper body.

At the same time I allow myself to slide back just enough so I don't need to hunch over too much while I bring my head closer to hers.

"Well, Ice Queen?" I ask with a smirk crossing my lips. "Ruby's a gentle kisser, I bet. Eases into it, gives you room to breathe . . . not much command over you . . . right?"

Weiss' eyes break from mine, confirming my suspicion which makes things even more enjoyable. I turn my head left, then give a violent swing to the right to force all off my hair to whip over my left shoulder so I can see Weiss's face a little more clearly.

It's at that moment she attempts to push me off, but I quickly push both hands to the floor above her head and make quick work in transferring both wrists into a vice-like grip with my left hand, allowing me to keep my dominant arm free for the time being.

"Well, Ice Queen? I'm waiting." I tease, watching Weiss try her best to pull her arms free in vain. She's so small, slender and frail that I can't help but feel just a little bad that I'm flaunting my physical prowess over her. "Do you need me to take the lead?"

"Yang, you will do no such thing!" She declares, but the shake in her voice gives away the fact that she's fully aware that this isn't a simple, empty threat. Although I'm still wondering why my kisses could be considered a threat . . . I brush on a regular basis for sure.

"I told you I would, and Ruby gave me the 'okay'." I say, lowering myself even further until my elbows and forearms are on the floor. I allow myself to continue dropping lower until my chest brushes over hers, and her body is slowly becoming sandwiched between mine and the floor.

"Come on, Weiss . . . One kiss won't hurt, right? I won't bite," I assure her. Although I take it upon myself to lean towards her ear and add a cliche to what I just said, "unless you want me to."

Weiss brings her icy-blue irises back into my view after avoiding my gaze for so long. The slender figure beneath me still trying to find some method of escape, the tiniest flaw with my technique to pull off an escape even Houdini would be proud of.

Knowing very well that Weiss has no intention of willingly letting me kiss her, I place my right hand on her cheek and begin exerting my aura, letting her feel a portion of the warmth I offer Blake whenever I hold my beloved partner in my arms.

Weiss helped me today in the greatest way possible . . . She helped me make Blake happy. Hell, she was the _**only**_ reason I was able to do what I did. I don't have wealth to repay her, so my affections are all I can offer.

After all, I am Yang Xiao Long . . . Breaker and Conqueror of Hearts and Bodies . . . That's a title I'll lay to rest with Weiss.

"Deep breath." I whisper to her, letting my forehead press to hers while my aura heats up the area around us. I can hear the hesitation in her choppy breaths that continue for a few more of her inhales. After repeating her breaths about six times or so, she finally starts to relax just enough for me to feel like my affection is welcomed for the next couple of seconds.

"You're the best, Weiss . . . Thank you."

I move my forehead from hers and add a small tilt of my head. Her lips still parted and pursed from her careful exhales and relaxed state. I can feel her breath graze my lips as she lets out her final breath before I'm able to press my lips to hers while simultaneously letting go of her wrists.

To my surprise she doesn't try to push me away now that her limbs are free, instead she stays still, welcoming my lips against her without a reaction of approval or disgust being shown or felt. I fight the natural urge to add my tongue into the equation, knowing that would be the deal breaker in it all, and instead continue to settle for gentle pecks, and affectionate caresses of the pinned heiress' cheek.

By the time I decide to pull back, I can't help but notice the sweet flush of embarrassment on Weiss' porcelain flesh. The normal, well-composed woman has a look of complete indecisiveness on her face as I slowly climb off of her then help her stand as well. I can't help but to acknowledge the fact that Weiss' lips are much softer than I would have initially thought, and warmer at that.

With my thanks and appreciation made, we begin to walk back to the room. A smile coating my face as I think back to the night I had with Blake, and complete silence from the heiress who refuses to even look my way.

 _I wonder who kisses her better._

As we get back into the room, she immediately goes back to bed with Ruby, and I make my way under the covers to cuddle and warm my sweet Kittycat. Ruby and I exchange goodnights while Weiss and Blake remain silent. Finally, Weiss' lamp is shut off, leaving the four of us to fall asleep in the arms of the ones we love most.


	19. Day II:

_Well, I think I have a formula that works pretty well for the time being._

 _I guess all I need to type out a full chapter is some company to keep me focused on my computer screen xD_

 _Anyway, here's chapter 19 in a quick and orderly fashion. There shouldn't be any errors . . . I hope._

 _Now we're starting to get to the Double's Rounds . . . Which is where I get to fuck with everyone until I'm pleased with myself . . . Stop reading now._

 _On a side note, I may upload another story tonight, just to get the first chapter out and see what people say about it._

 _First off, **IT'S MORE FOCUSED ON AN OC.** I warned you here first, and it'll be in the character tags as well. I don't want to read crap in the reviews with bitch that it's OC centered. Don't like, don't read. That's why I have other stories, and that's why there are a lot more authors on this site._

 _Anyway, here's Chapter 19!_

 _. . . No, it's not a smut chapter._

* * *

 _ **POV: RUBY ROSE**_

 _ **Chapter 19 - Day II:**_

 _ **A Damsel, A Dolt,**_

 _ **Drunks and Debauchery**_

* * *

"When can we wake them up? I'm starving." Weiss sighs while going through her scroll to check the current schedules for the next couple of rounds, although all of the participants are still a mystery.

The two of us are on her bed, seated with our backs against the wall so we're facing Blake and Yang's respective beds. Weiss' blanket is carefully draped over our legs, keeping our lower bodies covered for the time being.

"In a little while, Weiss." I answer while I peek over to look through her scroll while she's swiping by all of the notifications and informational bits she's looking for. "Who would want to wake them up, anyway? Just look at 'em!"

I gesture towards the B&Y of team RWBY with a smile. Both of them are covered up to their shoulders with Yang's yellow blanket, but it's what you're able to see above their shoulders that makes the sight so adorable.

Throughout the night they've shifted around until they both found a position they're most comfortable in. The night started off with Yang being the one closer to Weiss and myself, but now it's Blake that's closer and with her back towards us. Yang's arms are tightly wrapped around her partner's shoulders and neck, keeping Blake in a warm embrace I can remember being in when I've had my share of nightmares.

Blake on the other hand wasn't holding Yang at all. Instead it's easy to tell that her arms are curled up, sandwiched somewhere between her body and Yang's. Her face is pressed tightly to the top of my sister's chest, leaving Yang's chin touching the top of Blake's head while also managing to avoid pinching either of Blake's kitty ears.

"I'll admit that they're cute together, but that doesn't provide a valid excuse as to why we should starve while they're cuddling." Weiss counters without breaking stride in her scroll swipes.

"Aw! Come on, Weiss. You wouldn't want them waking us up if we were sleeping like that." I defend, knowing very well that neither of us would have wanted that.

"That's not the point, Ruby! They're supposed to be competing today. If they don't wake up then we're going to need to take their place. We're more than capable, but there's more on the line than a simple victory. Yang put herself and Blake in a bad predicament. The only saving grace is if we _**don't**_ get matched up with Team CFVY, and with the amount of teams that there are, it's honestly not that far off that we'll end up against them. On top of that, even if we don't end up facing Team CFVY, we still need to send Yang into the doubles round in case Team CFVY wins their match. At the end of the day, Yang has to be in the finals if Coco advances. It's a matter of pride for our team and a matter of fighting off possible gossip from the media. They'll look for a story anywhere." Weiss explains to me.

"Why would they go through that many hoops just for a story?"

"Because it's their job, Ruby. They'll pry anywhere and into anyone's personal lives to get a story worth writing about. Team RWBY being 'all talk' would make a perfect headline with the Vytal Festival Tournament being as big as it is." Weiss answers with visible displeasure in her voice.

Thinking about it now, Weiss probably has the worst experience with the media. Who knows how often they try to get involved with her life, and on top of that, there's a good possibility of them trying to ruin her, her father, or the SDC altogether just for the sake of having a successful news article. Maybe talking about the media with Weiss wasn't a good decision.

"Well, how about we start getting dressed and then we can wake them up before we walk out the door to eat? That way they'll be up, we'll be able to go get food, and if they don't come to eat then it's not our faults." I suggest, thinking of a method to please all parties.

"We can't do that to them, Ruby." Weiss sighs. "We're a team . . . I wouldn't want them to leave without us. On a regular school day that would be perfectly acceptable, but in this scenario I would want everyone together. This is a rare event and I'd want nothing more than to spend it with my teammates . . . even though one of them is a barbarian."

While Weiss goes on with another rant on Yang's behavior, I lay my head on her shoulder and swing my arms around her waist to keep myself close.

It's not too long after when Weiss decides to settle down and continue her mindless shuffling until she hands her scroll over to me so I can do my morning searches. As usual I decide to check on a couple of weapon catalogs that get updated weekly, then move on to check on social media.

The only reason I even have one is because Yang made me an account and told me it's a good way to keep in contact with people. After a couple of weeks I started to make a habit of checking it once a day just to make sure I'm in touch with everyone at Beacon. The first thing I notice are several pictures from last night. Every single one of them are different angles of Pyrrha and Jaune, but all are modest. You'd think someone would have gone the extra mile to photoshop a liplock between them.

"How far do you think they'll go?" I ask Weiss, tilting her scroll so she can see who I'm talking about.

"Well, they _**did**_ kiss . . . Hopefully that lets them open up more to each other. I'm sure Pyrrha has a lot to open up about." Weiss answers

"I wouldn't even call that a kiss . . .That was like a millisecond peck! A bird couldn't pick up rice that fast!" I argue, remembering how quickly the moment had passed, and how red their faces were despite it being far from a true kiss.

The upset on Coco's face was beyond priceless. Her disappointment was clear, and she even ordered another drink afterwards that Velvet forced herself to drink half of to make sure her leader wouldn't leave the place completely stoned.

"Whether you want to say if it was a kiss or not . . . it's a step in the right direction for those two. It may have been a good thing that their kiss was brief in front of so many people. It could have been a danger for Jaune in the long run. Someone like Pyrrha is bound to have crazed fans, and I doubt Jaune would be able to match their wrath." Weiss determines, although her statement does bring up a couple of questions that run parallel to our relationship.

"So . . . could that be said about you and your suitors where I'm involved?" I ask, more out of curiosity than fear.

"To keep it plain and simple, yes. While I doubt any of them would have the audacity to interfere in my personal life, there's still the possibility of it. As to how they would do it, I can't say for certain. All I know is that it'll be through sneaky and underhanded tactics." I can feel Weiss' body tensing up out of anger. It's not often that Weiss' lets herself get angered through 'what if' scenarios. Usually it's Yang's antics that get under her skin. As a matter of fact, 95% of the time Yang is the cause of Weiss' anger when it comes to simple conversation.

"Weiss?" I call out to her. I take the time to lean up so I can press my lips to her cheek, hoping my action will bring her back to reality. Thankfully it seems like my kiss does the trick and beckons Weiss to turn her head to greet me with a kiss of her own.

"I'm here." She whispers after our quick series of pecks. "I'll always be here."

"What, in bed?" I tease, earning a light shove that sends me tilting over until my left shoulder makes contact with a pillow.

"Don't be a pest!" Weiss nearly shouts at me. "Way to make a romantic moment go south."

"Like fish swimming in the winter?" I counter with a simile.

"Birds do that, you Dolt!"

". . . Birds swim? How do they breathe?"

My question is enough to make Weiss move to her feet and approach Blake and Yang. I quickly try to kick the covers off of my legs so I can stop her from waking them up, but just as I'm able to get the blanket off of me, I see her walk passed the two of them and go into the bathroom instead.

 _So_ _ **this**_ _is why Yang likes to bother Weiss . . . It's kind of fun._

Figuring that Weiss is just about ready to start her day, I decide to get myself out of bed to begin laying out my outfit. Thankfully, the two of us already took time to shower before Blake and Yang got home which saves us time in our morning routine. That's one reason to be thankful, but the other reason is the thought of Yang and Blake getting in the room while Weiss and I are showering together leaves me with a bad case of the shivers. Yang'll never let me live that down . . . even though we didn't do anything outside of wash each other's backs.

 _I wonder if Coco and Velvet got in alright . . . They decided to stay back a while._

With nothing else to do until Blake and Yang wake up, I decide to go check on Velvet's room, knowing that the rabbit faunus has enough responsibility in her system to be back at a respectable hour considering her team's fighting in the tournament.

I opt to stay in my pajama pants and tank top, slipping my scroll into my pocket before I make my exit from the room, being careful with how I close the door to keep noise down to a minimum. A thirty second walk down the hall leaves me at the three-way intersection where Velvet's room is. I can already hear a bit of commotion going on in the form of a mild argument. The kind of argument that me and Weiss would have - elevated in volume, but not entirely serious.

"Coco, you can't keep drinking that much! Next time I may not be able to keep up with you." Velvet groans from behind the door.

"I've drank much more than that before, Bon. You can let me go loose a little more. You forget, I typically don't get hangovers." Coco rebuts.

I take it as a good time to knock on the door. At first both of them go quiet, then it's Velvet's voice that calls out to see who it is.

"It's Ruby, Velvet! Just checking up on you two." I call into the room.

"Ruby? Just a sec. I got it." Coco answers, but Velvet's voice soon follows with haste and anxiety. "Wait Coco, don't!"

At the same time of Velvet's shouting, the door swings open. Coco has her usual shades and beret on, wearing a cheek to cheek smile that shows no signs of a hangover from the previous night. The second-year Huntress-in-Training tips her shades lower on the bridge of her nose to see me without the dark tint obstructing her sight of me.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby! Coco, put a shirt on!" Velvet cries out, trying to run to the door, only to step into my view and make my face turn a darker shade of red than it already is.

"What's wrong with me going topless, Bon? We're all women. Plus, I'm pretty sure it's nothing she hasn't seen before . . . I betcha she's shaggin' Ice Queen." Coco declares before placing both hands on her hips, exposing herself even more to my sight.

It's one thing to see Weiss naked. It's nothing to see Yang naked given the fact that she's my sister. I could probably see Blake and be unaffected as well, but this is quite possibly the most awkward situation I could ever be put into.

Coco and Velvet both have three years of age over me. Both of them have _**at minimum**_ a year up on the rest of my team, yet their physiques put my team to shame, and _**NO**_ , I'm not talking about their breasts!

Coco and Velvet both have well cut cores that easily rival or surpass Yang's. Their biceps, triceps and deltoids are all cut and sharpened from their many battles with other students and the creatures of Grimm. It's almost like I'm looking into the future of what Beacon will eventually turn me into . . . although I doubt I'd have a cup-size that mirrors what I'm looking at.

"Coco! I said cover up!" Velvet shouts while taking cover behind her leader. At the same time she wraps her arms around Coco's chest, not covering much, but making an attempt to at least cover Coco's nubs from my view, which I am grateful for.

Thankfully, Coco does have her pants on which helps defuse the situation a little bit, but Velvet's only hope of cover is the fact that she's perfectly shielding herself behind Coco to keep her body from being seen.

"Hey, if you wanted round two, just ask, Bon Bon." Coco flirts shamelessly with me still in the doorway.

"I ummm . . . I'm gonna go." I finally manage to say before taking a slow step away, although I can't seem to tear my eyes from the sight. "Y-You two have fun."

"Will do! Thanks for checking in on us, Ruby! You're welcome here any time!" Coco shouts at me before stepping back from the door to close it. "As for _**you**_. . . C'mere, Bon Bon!"

Seconds later the door slams shut, leaving me the chance to turn away and almost run back to my room with a need to clear my mind from what my eyes were just put through. Every motion I make is much faster, and filled with motivation to get inside, including how quickly I open and close the door, resulting in a thunderous clap that scares both Blake and Yang from their peaceful slumber.

"Ugh . . . Come on, Rubes! Loud mornings are my thing!" Yang grumbles while shuffling around in her bed, working on getting herself comfortable with Blake again.

"Is door slamming a sister thing?" Blake asks soon after, prior to looking over her shoulder with a corner-stare that sends shivers down my spine. It's possibly one of the few times I can admit that Blake scares me.

"I'm sorry." I squeak.

The apology is enough to make Blake face forward and lose herself to Yang's embrace, although I'm certain the two of them won't be able to fall back to sleep after my abrupt re-entry. At the same time, my scroll manages to vibrate, signalling a new notification for one of the pages I have open.

I'm quick to begin fumbling through each window of my scroll until I find where the notification came from. Surprisingly, it's from the Vytal Festivals tournament section with news on the first match of the day starting in half an hour.

It looks like Team RWBY's up first.


	20. A Xiao-Long Fuse

_Here's Chapter 20 . . .  
_

 _I already know some of you are going to be pissed with the match combatants._

 _If you are then I did my job right :D_

 _As always, enjoy, leave a review, and I'll see you in the next chapter! On whichever story it may be from._

* * *

 _ **POV: BLAKE BELLADONNA  
**_

 _ **Chapter 20 - A Xiao-Long Fuse  
**_

* * *

"You should try rollerblading sometime, it's super fun. It may take you a while though since you're so, y'know . . . _**top heavy.**_ "

I have to say, it's pretty entertaining to see Yang being on the receiving end of a pun . . . especially one that points out one of her more obvious features.

 _ **"Three, two, one, begin!"**_

The first sound that graces my ears once the match begins is the painful sound of a high-pitched trumpet. I can only imagine how disorienting it has to be for Yang and Weiss to handle. I was originally going to be in this match, but after a couple of minutes of being out of bed, it was a complete giveaway that I was undergoing a mild hangover from my date with Yang last night. Yang was obviously the first one to point it out, then Weiss made it clear that there's little to no need for me to go out there since we aren't matched up against Team CFVY.

That leaves us with the current match: Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee representing Team RWBY against Flynt Coal and Neon Katt representing Team FNKI.

At first glance the match appears to be an easy win for Weiss and Yang, but the moment they're separated into two different sections of the stage makes me realize the plan for the opposition is to divide and conquer. Yang and Weiss haven't exactly taken much time to practice together . . . as a matter of fact, those two are probably two of the best when working alone, yet may very well be the worst in terms of battle compatibility.

Weiss and Ruby of course have amazing chemistry. Yang and I have a chemistry and fighting style that we're both adapting to where we act as a shield for each other. Ruby and Yang know each other best given they've spent their entire lives together, while Weiss and I can work together to form a quick strategy. The last combination - Yang and Weiss - is probably at its best when Weiss takes the lead, but with both of them being spread out across the arena it leaves little room for cooperation and even less room for error.

"Why aren't they trying to get back together? They should both realize that they're in losing battles!" Ruby shouts while taking quick glimpses at the four aura levels on display.

"The one-on-ones were decided before the match even began." I say to Ruby after thinking about how everything came to be.

"What do you mean, Blake? Weiss and Yang know they have good teamwork once they get going. They trust each other." Ruby responds, clearly missing the meaning of what I said.

"Ruby, what happened before the match started? I mean among those four."

"That Flynt guy was being a jerk to Weiss . . . and Neon made a boob joke on my sis?" Ruby questions more than answers.

"That's what decided it . . . They chose who they wanted to fight, and then made Weiss and Yang get a severe case of tunnel vision. Yang's annoyed, and Weiss' pride has the better of her for now. It's not much, but it's a basic strategy." I explain to her just in time for two more people to come by and take the two vacant seats that are usually for Weiss and Yang.

"I'm going to need to have a long talk with my sister about her form." The first person says. I turn to my left to look at who it is, mild surprise taking over when I see that it's Winter.

"Sunflower's gonna need a personal ass kicking from me if she loses . . . I told her the first time we ever met that fighting her when she's angry is an easy win . . . She ain't movin' like she's supposed to." Shun groans from the other side of Winter.

"Nice of you two to join us . . . I figured at least one of you would be in the VIP section." I tease, earning myself a corner glare from Winter.

"We were . . . then we saw you two and decided to come offer our support." Winter corrects me while Shun leans forward just enough for me to see her face so I can see her give a series of nods that shows her agreement with Winter.

"I wanted to stay up there, that AC's a blessing from the heavens." The cheetah Faunus says while holding up three fingers in an 'O.K.' gesture. "So, how irritating has she been? She can be a real bitch to deal with."

"Hey! That's my sis you're talking about!" Ruby shouts, beating me to the punch.

"As Ruby said, I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult my girlfriend while I'm right here . . . I still owe you a couple of 'snips' with Gambol Shroud." I bark

"I was talking about the pussycat on rollerskates. She can't keep her mouth shut most of the time . . . it's really _ **fucking**_ annoying." Shun says with visible agitation on top of her emphasis in her language.

"I assume you know her?" Winter asks without taking her eyes off of the battle.

"Unfortunately."

Our conversations soon die down, leaving us and the thousands of other people in attendance to watch on with growing anticipation. Yang continues to get knocked around like the average ragdoll while Weiss appears to hold her ground until the surprise reveal of Flynt's Killer Quartet, as Doctor Oobleck called it, soon turns the tide on Weiss' high-speed skirmishing strategy.

"That should put Weiss in the red." I analyze while Flynt walks up to the fallen heiress. Weiss' aura is just barely above critical levels. At the same time however, Yang and Neon emerge from the ruins with Yang's eyes in their bright red state. I never knew someone could get under her skin so easily.

"That idiot! Who the fuck plays with their food!?" Shun shouts after watching Flynt turn his attention away from Weiss and reform his Quartet to deal with the distracted, raging blonde a few meters away.

"He found a new priority . . . he's looking to finish off Yang while she's still distracted by the faunus girl's annoying taunts. It's best to take advantage of it while my sister is immobile." Winter explains.

"He'll regret it." Shun sighs.

"Just whose side are you on here?" I ask, a little annoyed at Shun's attitude towards the battle.

"Of course I'm cheerin' for Sunflower . . . I just hate terrible execution . . . Case and point."

Shun points to the stage towards an awakening Weiss. In a last ditch effort to save Yang, Weiss tackles all four Flynt's, forcing the doppels back into their creator's form to finally bring the original down into an erupting lava geyser. As expected a buzzer sounds and Professor Port declares a double knockout.

"That may have been the best that Weiss could do given the scenario . . . It's up to Yang, now." I say while sitting back in my seat and folding my arms. Out the corner of my eye I can see Ruby clenching her fists on her lap. With how strong Ruby's grip is, I can make out the contours of her veins clear as day.

Within the next few seconds I debate if I should reach over to make an attempt at comforting her, but when I see her shoot to her feet I turn my attention back to the match to see what got her so riled up.

I look towards the geyser now that the debris begins to clear. The first thing I notice - which I assume to be what Ruby saw as well - is Flynt walking away from the blast zone with shaking legs, and the top half of his outfit burned off.

The loosened blue tie he keeps around his neck is charred along the edges while his shoulders are exposed thanks to the flames scorching up a decent portion of his outfit. The fedora that complimented his entire outfit is now gone, most likely burnt and scattered throughout the arena as dust and debris.

"Ladies and gentleman, Flynt Coal remains standing!" Port's echoing voice triggers the final straw within Ruby who slams her hand down on the seat in front of her.

"Kick their butts, Yang!" Ruby shouts at the top of her lungs, but I doubt her voice could reach Yang with all the extra commotion going on.

"She better." I say flatly, although deep in the back of my head I begin to worry on how Yang will handle the two on one. Dealing with Neon seems to have proven enough of a challenge for her already, and the hyperactive cat isn't even below 80% of her aura pool.

"Heh . . . they're about to get fucked over good. That's the worst way for Weiss to go down." Shun says with hints of laughter breaking through her words. "That probably hurt Yang where it matters most . . . her pride."

I raise an eyebrow to what the cheetah faunus just said, then turn my gaze back towards the unfolding two on one to see an idle Yang standing still without any form of reaction to Weiss being taken out of the fight. For the next few seconds I try my very best to somehow get a proper view of Yang's distant face, wondering what sort of facial expression she must have after realizing Weiss sacrificed herself to stop the blindsided assault from happening. A sacrifice that was made in vain no less.

 **"And it looks like Yang's angry . . . and you wouldn't like it when she's . . . upset."**

For the first time since our first semester I can actually see Yang's aura begin to exude from her body. The last time I saw her this fired up was during Weiss' mysterious power spike.

"She doesn't look pleased." Winter observes, and I decide to correct her observation.

"She's pissed beyond measure." I say before moving to my feet so I can go to the bottom of the stairs of the coliseum and get a closer look at what's about to unfold. Not-so-surprisingly, Ruby, Winter and Shun all follow along to see what's about to happen with Yang entering a zone of rage that I've taken to calling 'Yang Mode'.

After a few more seconds of silence and possible isolation into the raging part of her mind, Yang bursts to life with a flaming aura surrounding her body. The usual happy-go-lucky blonde I know is replaced with a manifestation of rage and destruction. Her only method of venting are the two forms in front of her: The burly, torn up trumpet player, and the elusive faunus derby girl.

"Wait, where's Weiss? She could end up as collateral." Ruby panics, realizing just how much steam her sister is about to blow off in the next couple of attacks.

"She's over there in the sand dunes . . . at least she's somewhere fireproof." I analyze, although with Weiss half-buried in sand it's hard to tell what her condition is for the time being. The only thing we can go off of is the fact that her aura is completely depleted, meaning some of her injuries are bound to have made it onto her flesh.

"Yang's hit boiling point." Shun announces with a little too much happiness in her voice. If I had to guess she must've fought Yang when she was in 'Yang Mode' before. Only someone as crazy as Yang's ex could find excitement in seeing Yang hit her limit.

Yang begins her attack with a relentless series of buckshots from her Ember Celica. Neon is the first to begin taking evasive action while Flynt holds his ground to begin playing his trumpet in hopes of disrupting Yang's oncoming rage.

"Think they have a chance to stop her?" I ask Ruby without taking my eyes off of the three combatants.

"No . . . you can't stop Yang's rage. You can only redirect it. I know that better than anyone." As Ruby says that I see her place a hand on her cheek, possibly in remembrance of the hook she took at the start of the semester. It feels like so long ago, but I remember the drama unfolding as if it only occured yesterday.

Yang makes the immediate choice of disregarding the evasive faunus and turning her attention towards the immobile trumpet player that's directly in front of her. The same person that survived Weiss' suicide tactic.

With the use of her gauntlet's recoil she launches herself towards him, leaving him little to no room to play his instrument as buckshots rain down on and around him, raising massive amounts of debris from the small explosions. Despite her anger, Yang shows her knowledge and grace of her weapon when the single shot she used to projectile herself still manages to land her within the debris formed around Flynt despite the several shots made in mid-air that should have altered her landing point significantly.

From within the debris there's nothing to be seen aside from bright flashes of yellow and red from a combination of Yang's aura and the flashes from her weapon's barrel. It takes a mere five seconds for Flynt's aura level to begin draining chunk by chunk until a final impact can be heard. In that instant, Flynt comes flying out of the debris, rocketing into one of the dunes adjacent to where Weiss lies unconscious.

Despite Flynt being sent flying, Yang remains standing within the debris, letting it clear at its own pace before she begins looking around for the escaped rollerskater that everyone must have lost sight of. From Yang's point of view, it must be nearly impossible to find the rainbow colored figure, but after a couple seconds of searching I'm able to spot her hiding behind a wall in the ruins. Practically the same location she had been fighting Yang towards the start of the match.

"How long until she finds her?" Winter asks with a lack of amusement in her voice.

"She'll start breakin' shit until the cat comes out to play." Shun snickers.

As Shun predicted, Yang reloads her Ember Celica prior to unleashing an endless barrage aimlessly throughout the arena, knowing at some point she'll surely hit her mark. I take note that throughout Yang's aimless barrage of buckshots, none of them even come close to Weiss. As a matter of fact, every shot is made with Yang's back towards Weiss which I don't believe could be a coincidence. Yang told me that she'll be my shield . . . I doubt she wouldn't do the same for the rest of her team.

Yang goes through nearly her entire clip before she lands a solid shot on the wall Neon is hiding behind, resulting in a high-pitched scream from the rollerskating faunus when she's forced to get away from her cover and face Yang out in the open with no Flynt or annoying tactics to fall back on. After all, you can't piss off someone who's already snapped.

"I almost feel bad . . . I wish there was a white towel to throw in for her." Winter says out loud before turning around to make her exit.

"Heh . . . she's an annoying bitch. I'm gonna enjoy this one." Shun says while leaning on the guardrail to get as close as she can manage.

"Come on, Ruby . . . let's head into the tunnel." I tug Ruby by her hood, forcing her to turn around to follow along. As sweet as it is for Yang to have flipped out over Ice Queen getting hurt, I still don't want to see exactly what she's capable of when she's lost most of her control to her rage. I'd like to keep the image of my sweet brawler in the front of my mind.

The same brawler that's more competitive than anyone I know, yet would still throw a match just to prove a point. The same brawler who took a blunt hit from a shield to the back of her skull just for the sake of keeping me out of harm's way. No matter how aggressive Yang can get, or how destructive she can be, she's still my Blonde Brawler.

I can hear the crowd's roaring chants grow louder and fluctuate based on what's happening in the arena, but I don't bother turning around to look. Instead I keep Ruby close to find our way into the arena's tunnel, knowing very well that it'll be over by the time we get there.

"Blake, you okay? You're kind of choking me a bit." Ruby questions and comments in one of her sweeter tones. Before I even bother to let go, I look her way and notice that I'm pulling her hood upwards instead of towards me, leaving me with the feeling of a dog owner tugging their dog's collar to the point of almost choking their animal without realizing it.

"Dust! Sorry!" I flinch, releasing Ruby's cowl and doubling my walking pace down down several flights of stairs until a series of signs point me in the right direction of the entrance into the arena. Once we're in the hall I can hear the echoing announcement that Team RWBY has won the match.

Ruby completely blows by me thanks to her semblance, rushing towards the arena to check on her girlfriend. I decide to pick up my walking pace and adapt a steady jog which then turns into an all-out sprint once I reach the end of the tunnel.

I quickly dash through the ruins that have been put through the hellstorm of Yang's gauntlet fire before progressing through the main stage to reach the dunes where a worried Ruby, waking Weiss, and calming Yang are all united.

"Weiss, are you okay!? Does anything hurt?" Ruby asks at a frantic pace. I take a moment to look over Weiss, not noticing any real burns, but I do take note of the fact that I don't see any clothing on her exposed skin which leaves me worried as to what lies beneath the sand.

"Ruby, cover her with this." I say while I work off my black jacket and toss it towards the young leader. Yang picks up on the situation and quickly takes off her brown jacket to do the same.

"I'm . . . I'm fine, guys." Weiss answers before letting out a few coughs. "Just a couple of burns . . . and a lack of clothes."

I shake my head a couple times and take a look around to see just how much damage Yang did to the arena's different stages, then direct my attention towards Yang who seems hesitant to meet my glare.

"Are you hurt at all, Yang? Is the adrenaline gone?" I ask, knowing how some injuries escape being noticed thanks to the pain-numbing of an adrenaline rush.

"I'm good, Blake. Nothing's broken or fractured or whatever . . . I'm just . . . not too happy that you saw me like that." Yang says before taking a sharp inhale.

"I looked away, Yang . . . I saw you punch Flynt out of the debris and that was pretty much all I stood around for. We can talk about this later, but for now . . ." I pause, glaring at the massive amount of people looking on from the stands.

". . . We need to think of how we're getting Weiss out of here."


	21. Adaptable and Adoptable

_Here's chapter 21, and for anybody who actually remembers my very first story vividly . . .the last chapter should've brought up a sense of nostalgia._

 _This chapter should get some people hype for the future . . ._

 _Then again . . . tragedy lurks  
_

* * *

 _ **POV: WEISS SCHNEE**_

 _ **Chapter 21 - Adaptable and Adoptable**_

* * *

"We're up first? Against who?" I ask.

"Team FNKI from Atlas. I guess we should tell them to start getting out of bed, right?"

"After the way you slammed the door . . .I doubt Blake is in much of a mood to move. I'll get those two up, you go and take your shower if you need it." I gesture her towards the bathroom, practically ushering her out of sight so I can deal with the minefield that surrounds Blake's bed.

With each step I take towards the sleeping duo, I feel a sickness to my stomach that screams for me to back away. I've seen Blake on her bad mornings, and I know better than to wake Yang up after she's gone through a fatiguing night out. GIven the situation I have no choice but to deal with the consequences, although Ruby was the one to wake them up first.

"Yang?" I reach over Blake to touch the blonde's shoulder. My light nudges yield no result, forcing me to get slightly more aggressive until one of her lilac irises lock onto me. "Our team is in a match . . . you two **need** to get up. I apologize."

Yang closes her eyes once more, then in the next second she takes a loud, deep inhale through her nostrils, then exhales in the form of a loud sigh that causes Blake's unhidden faunus ears to flutter. Yang idly rubs Blake's back, but it's not until I focus on her metronome'd hand that I catch her gesturing for me to back away.

This may not be good.

"Kittycat . . . rise and shine." Yang yawns out once I move back to my bed. I'm not too surprised to see that Blake doesn't budge an inch despite Yang starting to move around to wake herself up.

"Come on, Blake. I know it's been a long night, but we gotta get moving." Yang sighs.

It's then that I see Yang look towards me with a glare of hesitation, then down to Blake. A glare like that from Yang is rare, which makes me wonder what could she be trying to process that caused her to look my way.

"Sorry, Ice Queen . . . You're gonna need to deal with this one."

"What exactly am I dealing with?" I raise an eyebrow.

Instant regret fills my body as Yang violently throws the covers off of herself and Blake. Yang lets out an audible sigh upon seeing my appearing reaction that reveals complete disagreement to what is on display. Blake on the other hand doesn't seem phased by Yang's antics at all and instead chooses to pull herself closer to the blonde, possibly in hopes of keeping warm.

"Come on, Kittycat . . . Do I need to put on a show?" Yang slowly starts to pry Blake off of her, forcing the immobile brunette to lay flat on her back. "I know, Weiss . . . I'm sorry."

No amount of apologies from Yang could make up for what I'm forced to see. It's one thing to deal with two sleep deprived women that may have little in terms of morning tolerance, but it's another thing to learn that under Yang's yellow bedsheet were two **naked** bodies.

After their long night and late arrival back into the dorms, I wouldn't expect either of them to undress out of their current outfits. On a late evening like they had, I would most likely fall asleep in my combat attire and worry about taking care of it in the morning. Blake and Yang both went to bed **clothed** last I remember, so what could have possibly happened that put them in their current state?

"Just . . . wake her up, already." I groan, motioning for Yang to do whatever it takes.

While Blake is already on her back, unknowingly showing off most of her body, Yang is on her knees doing much of the same. The sight is more embarrassing to me than it is to them, although it does make me wonder how they can both be so comfortable with being naked while multiple people are in the same room.

"You may want to leave the room, Weiss." Yang warns, but she has another thing coming if she believes I am going to walk out of this room while I am still wearing my nightgown. She already chased me out once - literally - I will not accept it happening a second time.

"I am not going out of this room in my nightgown, Yang. Hurry up, we don't have much time for you two to get ready." I demand of her.

"Fine, fine. Don't enjoy the sight too much." Yang shrugs her shoulders before she begins her attempt at waking Blake up.

My eyes widen at the sight of Yang making an attempt to climb on top of the lifeless faunus. What starts off as Yang moving into a basic pushup position with her palms on either side of Blake's head soon evolves into a shameless display of semi-public affection.

Yang starts lower herself onto Blake in the form of a perfectly postured pushup. What I expect to result in Yang's body crushing Blake's until the faunus wakes up from her slumber. Instead, Yang stops herself just shy of making full contact with Blake's form, leaving their chests to be the only things that make physical contact.

"Blakey~" Yang sings out, a smile coating her face. I can already tell she's chosen to ignore my presence to focus all her attention on giving her partner a peaceful awakening.

Yang's first attempt begins with a gentle series of pecks that trail from Blake's cheek, up to the sleeping woman's forehead.

"I gave you a chance, Blake. This one's your fault."

Yang's expression changes from a happy smile to an overconfident grin, as if she already knew that her next attempt will get Blake out of bed. Yang moves from her pushup position to a planking position, changing from having her hands planted on the bed to her elbows and forearms, giving her an easier time in terms of balance. The new position allows Yang to lift her left arm without fear of losing balance on top of bringing herself closer to Blake without any strain on her arms.

Yang continues her trailing of pecks, going upward from Blake's forehead, leaving her kisses to land near the roots of Blake's hair while she ventures higher and higher until her target becomes clear to me.

In one instant Yang brings her lips towards the tip of Blake's left ear while having her left hand ready near the right ear of the sleeping faunus. I've heard rumors of a faunus' species-specific appendages having a much higher response to touch. I can only guess that Yang's either heard of this rumor, or confirmed it sometime in the past.

The sound that leaves Blake's lips turns me a shade of red that I can easily imagine matching Ruby's cloak. I raise both of my hands to cover my dropped jaw and open mouth as Yang's tactic starts to force the faunus to squirm with life and discomfort.

"There's my Kittycat . . . how about I scratch ri~~~ght . . . HERE." Yang's left hand disappears from sight to venture somewhere along Blake's body. The immediate result is Blake's legs swinging up to wrap around Yang's waist while her arms wrap around Yang's upper back to cling onto the blonde's superior physique. "There we go."

With a look of triumph, Yang shifts onto her knees, then moves to stand off of her bed while Blake is still clinging onto her. Yang takes a shameless grip at Blake's thighs to help hold up the naked form before she starts to carry Blake towards the bathroom, just in time for Ruby to open the door.

"Hey, Sis! Glad you're done. Kittycat needs a good wake up shower!" Yang announces while a paralyzed Ruby is nudged out of the way. Seeing Yang naked is probably something she isn't affected by . . . but being greeted by what Yang only refers to as 'The Bellabooty,' probably isn't the easiest thing to shake clear from the mind.

"Umm, I uh . . . Were Blake and Yang both-" Ruby stutters and chokes, only able to gesture over her shoulder with her thumb towards the bathroom door that's been slammed shut and locked.

"Yes, Ruby . . .they were both naked. Let's get dressed and leave those alone for a bit . . . I rather not hear what's about to happen in there." I sigh.

"We're not doing anything like that, Ice Queen!" Yang shouts from the bathroom.

"Anyway," I continue, "let's leave those two to their own ministrations and get ourselves some breakfast. I'm sure they'll catch up to us in a timely fashion."

My suggestion is quickly agreed upon, leading Ruby and I to change into our standard attires to make our way into Beacon's food court. The usual five minute walk is lessened by the brisk walking pace I adapt from wanting nothing more than to create as much distance as possible between myself and Team RWBY's dorm room. I doubt I can go back into that room and not feel the slightest amount of discomfort.

"So . . . do you know anything about Team FNKI?" Ruby asks me after we descend the steps to our dorm and make it outside. "Only reason I'm asking is because they're from Atlas."

"I haven't had a chance to scout them. All I can guess at is they're disciplined and rehearsed for the tournament. Atlas' school and military are mixed into one unit." I explain, imagining our opponents to be formidable in both strategy and battle prowess.

"Do you think Yang and Blake can handle them?" Ruby asks immediately after, giving us something to talk about during our walk to the food court.

"Yang and Blake have their own way of fighting. It's not easy to tell . . . Most fights tend to follow a 'rock-paper-scissor' format Where one strategy could beat one opponent, it may not beat another. Team battles are more about adapting . . . which Yang and Blake are very capable of, but the Atlas military are taught to have backup plans upon backup plans, so it swings right back around to being a rock-paper-scissor format, but this time with how each team adapts to the other team's adaptations."

After my long-winded observation I look to Ruby to get her two-lien on what I just said. Instead I'm left with the sight of a confused redhead that is still trying to dissect what was just said.

"So . . . they have to adapt to being adapted to . . ?" Ruby attempts to simplify, but she still seems far more than confused on the matter.

"Essentially that's what we're looking at. That's probably what the battle will come down to. Although Blake and Yang will also need to adapt to each other. If one of them changes their approach, then the other will try to match the shift. It's a little more complicated than I'm making it sound." I shrug.

"It's . . . more complicated than your explanation?" Ruby questions with defeat in her tone. Truth be told, I find the theory to be very simplistic. It follows the theory of 'Survival of the Fittest'. The 'fittest' isn't always the strongest, it's the one who changes to match their surroundings. A battle is the same thing, but with a drastically smaller timeframe for adaptation.

"Just keep the concept in mind the next time you're sparring with someone, Ruby. You'll have a much easier time understanding it if you're put into the situation. It's clear that you're a kinetic learner." I say in hopes of not confusing her any longer.

"Magnetic? Like Pyrrha's semblance?" Ruby tilts her head at me, causing me to facepalm at her misinterpretation.

"Not _**magnetic**_ , **KINETIC** , Dolt. You learn by doing, not by listening or seeing." I explain, earning a couple of quick nods.

Thankfully our conversation carried on long enough for us to reach the food court just as we're done speaking. We take our time with getting inside and gathering our meal. I find myself choosing a simple salad to start the morning with a couple slices of toast, while Ruby favors the rare occasion that pancakes are on the school's menu. During our search for a seat, we spot Team JNPR at a semi-vacant table and make haste in occupying two of the four remaining seats.

"So, it's agreed then?" Pyrrha questions the rest of her team while gesturing a 'hello' towards Ruby and I.

"I don't see why not." Ren answers.

"That should be the best setup." Jaune adds, "So it's agreed. You and Nora are going to the double's round."

"Just point me at legs and I'll take care of the rest!" Nora beams while she slams her spork into an impressive stack of pancakes.

Looking at Nora's plate makes me realize something quite odd. Nobody else from Team JNPR seems to be eating. In fact, all of them have empty plates in front of them with Nora's plate holding enough pancakes to feed four people, leading to the obvious assumption.

"Now that we've decided on that, hello Weiss and Ruby." Pyrrha cheers. "Has your team already made their choice on who's going to the double's round?"

"Right now it's supposed to be Blake and Yang. Hopefully they make it down here on time otherwise Ruby and I will need to substitute." I answer with clear annoyance.

"Where are those two anyway? How'd their date go?" Jaune jumps in.

"I assume it went well. They came in at about one in the morning and went straight to bed." I lie, preferring to keep Yang's antics to myself. "Blake was already half asleep when they came in, Yang was carrying her."

"Weiss made sure they had a good time!" Ruby speaks up. The moment she shines the spotlight on me, four pairs of eyes practically pierce my skull with focused stares, waiting for me to explain how I contributed to their date.

"I didn't do much." I dismiss. "I simply made sure Yang had the appropriate funds to do as she wanted. I'll be sure to have her pay me back as time goes on . . . Quite possibly as a pack mule for the next couple of weeks."

"What'd you say about me, Ice Queen?" The familiar voice of the team's brawler grazes my ear. Without missing a step I turn my head to stare into lilac eyes with even less amusement than I had earlier.

"I said you'll be my pack mule for the next couple of weeks . . . _**especially**_ with your antics last night as well as this morning." I bark.

"I doubt looking away would've been that difficult." This time it's Blake that answers, making me realize she's standing just slightly behind Yang. Thankfully, both of them are in their combat attire instead of the 'outfits' they chose to don throughout the night.

"She's not wrong . . . Unless you liked what you saw." Yang says in a dismissive manner. I know very well that it was a comment made to irritate and get under my skin, but even with that in mind it still manages to bother me. However, before I get a chance to give the flirtatious brawler a piece of my mind, her and Blake walk across from where Ruby and I are seated so they can sit and eat their food.

"So, we have a little problem." Yang says the moment she sits down. "Blake has a mild hangover."

At the announcement, six people focus on Blake who makes a point of keeping her eyes down at her food.

"So . . . she won't be at her best is what you're saying?" I interpret.

"Pretty much. We're not going up against Coco, so there's not much of a necessity for her to fight like you said yesterday. Maybe you or Ruby could take her place?" Yang asks. She leaves the question in the air and starts to eat her food, scoffing down her pancakes at a pace that could possibly rival Nora.

"Weiss, you should go." Ruby nudges me on the shoulder without any hesitation or second thought on the matter. "You know Atlas better than me. You'd know what to do with that adaption thingy you kept on talking about."

"I don't think Yang and I would be able to-" I start to say before Yang cuts me off.

"Quit it, Ice Queen. Me and Blake were thinking the same as Ruby. You know Atlas, I don't. A little strategy beforehand and we'll have them crawling back to their airship." Yang answers while slamming her right fist into her left palm, making an authoritative impact. "I'll follow your lead on this one."

I take a small bite out of my salad while I ponder the options. Team CFVY won their match, meaning Coco is most likely going to advance to the finals if the double's round is one for them. That means Yang has _**no**_ choice in the matter and needs to be one of the participants in the match. Ruby doesn't have any knowledge of Atlas tech, strategy, or their combat style taught in the army, which makes me the ideal pick for this battle.

"There doesn't seem to be much of an option, does there? Fine." I submit, focusing on my meal so I can start strategizing with Yang immediately.

"Alright! Fire and ice! Time to make a flaming blizzard!" Yang announces.

"As much as I'd love to poke holes at how a 'flaming blizzard' is scientifically impossible . . . could we **please** finish eating so we can get some form of strategy developed? I don't like 'winging it'."

For the first time today, Yang humors me and eats her food in silence, making short work of her breakfast while I take a slower, more humane pace to finish my food. When I'm done, Yang and I quietly leave our seats to throw away our garbage, then make our exit from the food court so we can begin traveling to the coliseum.

"So, how are we doing this?" Yang asks as we walk among a small crowd of people that are making their way to the courtyard to catch the next airship ride.

"I honestly have no clue, Yang. I don't know anything about their team aside from the fact that they're from Atlas. If I had to give priority to certain things, I would say we need to stay together." I shrug, trying my best to think of what we will need to do to ensure success.

"Alright, no splitting up. That's pretty easy." Yang dismisses, not realizing that splitting us apart could be a valid strategy for the opposition.

"Just don't get too hot headed out there. The last thing I need is for you to lose sight of our goal: teamwork and victory."

"Weiss, I owe you, alright?" Yang stops walking, forcing me to do the same so I can face her. "We see eye-to-eye less than Cardin and Velvet, but you've had my back plenty of times . . . I'm going to have yours."

"This isn't about 'having my back,' Yang. It's about being able to win our match. For all I know you may feel better using me as a distraction while you powerhouse your way through them." I say without thinking.

"Why would I bother doing that?" Yang asks, her voice takes a slight hostile turn. I never thought she'd take offense to what I just said.

"It's called 'strategy,' Yang. Sacrifices sometimes need to be made for the perfect end result."

"The perfect end result is _ **both of us**_ standing tall. That's what I'm aiming for."

"That would be ideal, but things don't always go as planned." I respond before I resume walking.

"Well they will this time, I promise." Yang matches my pace and throws an arm over my shoulder to pull me close. "What kind of big sis would I be if I let my future sister-in-law get all bruised up?"

"Last I recall . . . you were more than willing to _**kill**_ me with your right cross at the start of the semester." I remind her.

"Well consider this the 180. You're not going down with me on guard duty. You have my word."

With Yang's promise made, we arrive at the docked airship and board. The ride up to the coliseum is quiet, although we do end up having small moments of conversation. Most of them revolving around different what-if scenarios. Upon docking at the coliseum, the first words we hear being announced are the calls for Teams RWBY and FNKI to enter the arena for the first match of the day.

Yang's hand pats me on the back once more, drawing my attention to the blonde brawler. With her other hand she gives me a thumbs up on top of one more word of reassurance.

"I'm only going to say this once. No matter what your last name is, you're a Xiao Long in my book, and Xiao Long's look after their own." Yang says with confidence. It's almost uncomfortable to see her acting serious for once. "I bother you and treat you the way I do because I care . . . it's what Xiao Long's are good for."

"I see . . . so what are Rose's good for?" I counter.

"Shutting up smartass heirs, obviously." Yang retorts without any second thought on the matter. "I'm serious, Weiss. You and Blake are both family to me. I'm not letting my family get hurt."

Family, huh?

"Don't try to win me over just because I helped your date." I tease, but my body takes a completely different take on the situation. Before I can comprehend what's happening, my arms are around Yang and hers are around me in a hug that I would never believe her to be capable of . . . a hug that makes me feel safe and secure instead of suffocated. "I can't take you serious when you're, well . . . serious."

"Don't have to. I'll show you how we look after our own. This may be a little late, but . . . welcome to the family."

With those words being said, I realize that I now have been welcomed in by all immediate members of Ruby's family. It's a thought that brings a smile to my face, and a newfound determination to see just what Yang and I are capable of together.


	22. Mirage Away to Menagerie

_Here's Chapter 22! Please enjoy! There's a small bit of foreshadowing going on here, a throwback to an old old old reference in character . . ._

 _and I'm quite proud of myself in channeling my inner **Pun** kleman._

 ** _PRAISE ME_**

 _As always, please leave a review, it really helps me get going on the next chapter.  
_

 _Also, I'd like to thank my buddy Soulless for helping me type this out and keep some of my sentences a little more fluid than I usually have them._

 _Hopefully before long, everything will start to settle down to a level I like._

 _I have a long way to go before I can consider myself a good author! Thanks for staying with me, all of you._

 _Now fuck off and start reading!_

* * *

 _ **POV: BLAKE BELLADONNA  
**_

 _ **Chapter 22 - Mirage Away to Menagerie**_

* * *

"Can we leave, Yang? Please?" My eyes scan the small medical room. After Weiss and Yang's match, the medical staff made quick work of arriving on the arena to properly cover Weiss and escort her out of one of the four tunnels. From there she was brought to a small medical facility within the Coliseum to be examined as well as re-clothed. Ruby was the one to run to the airship and return with a fresh outfit for Weiss to wear.

"What's eating at you, Kittycat?" Yang asks me, then lowers her voice to a near whisper to throw one of her common flirts at me, "I haven't in awhile." She finishes, then raises her tone back to its normal volume. "We need to be here for Weiss." Yang says to me, somewhat shocked at my rush to leave.

I look down to the hardwood floors and let my eyes wander to the cream-colored walls. Inside the room are two medical examination tables, and a curtain to isolate the portions of the room. Currently one of the curtains is closed while Ruby, Weiss, and a doctor are on the other side. Yang and myself are within the room, but standing close to the doorway.

"I don't like medical offices, Yang . . . It's their specialty to look at someone and identify their medical conditions. Anyone can look at me and tell I'm a Faunus. We already had the incident with the fairgrounds, I don't want there to be another." I explain, all the while I keep my eyes from meeting Yang's.

"That crap isn't going to happen again, Blake. That was one asshole out of a million. The chances of that happening again are-"

"The chances of it happening are much higher than I'd like, Yang! Everywhere I go, everywhere I look, and everywhere I've been is filled with people who would rather hate the Faunus instead of getting to know us. Ever since we walked out of the arena I could hear them . . . whispers of people gossiping about me. People already know I'm a Faunus and the word is spreading like wildfire. Even the supposed 'match of history' was re-titled after I was exposed on the fairgrounds: _**Burning Bullets and Fighting Faunus**_. Is that how I'm supposed to be identified now? ' _The undercover Faunus of Team RWBY'._ Yeah, that's a wonderful stigma." I spit. Since my sentence began my volume has slowly been increasing until I just barely catch myself going above a normal tone. I take a deep breath, then move myself back to a whisper before I continue. "I'm not considered 'normal' just because I'm a Faunus. As far as most are concerned, I'm a second-class citizen that should never have left Menagerie. As much as I'd like to agree with you and say that you're right, I can't. Things won't get better, not anytime soon. That's why . . . I've been thinking of going back."

I lift my gaze with hesitation, scared to look Yang in her eyes after what I just said. She hasn't moved an inch or made an attempt to say or do anything that'll give me a hint as to how she's feeling about what I just said. As much as I want to reach for the door and leave, I know that it's the very last thing I should do. Yang wouldn't turn her back on me, I shouldn't be the one to turn my back on her. Especially when she's always willing to listen and help to the best of her ability.

"Is that where your family is?" Yang finally speaks aloud after a few seconds of silence. "Look . . . I can't go around throwing right hooks at everyone who talks bad about you. Let's face it, I'd be in jail for a pretty long time afterwards. If I had my way, I'd rather them all get hit with my Ember Celica, but that's not what you want either. So who knows, maybe going to Menagerie isn't that bad. I mean, I doubt there are any humans there . . . who knows, maybe the humans that do visit are given the same treatment that you're given here . . . But if I want to know more about you and what you've gone through, then it may be just the thing to teach me." Yang concludes.

"Yang, what are you talking about?" I lift my gaze to meet her harmless lilac stare.

"I won't know your struggles until I've faced some of them myself, right? I mean . . . you've already been to my hometown and met my family. What's say I go with you to yours and meet the creators of the Bellabooty?" Yang jokes, but otherwise her statement seems to be completely serious.

"Yang, I was talking about going alone . . . not with you. I think I need to get away from everyone, and I wouldn't want you to risk the _chance_ of being treated like some Faunus are. What sort of person would that make me for wanting that to happen to my girlfriend?" I argue.

"Well it's not much of an option, Kittycat. If you're going to Menagerie after the tournament, then I'm going to. How does that oath go? Till death do us part?" Yang asks more than states, although it makes me blush that she'd mention an oath of marriage despite us barely making a year as a couple let alone being together long enough to consider a marriage.

"There's no ring on my finger, Yang." I roll my eyes, but the smile on my face lets her know that she's been helping a great deal.

"Yeah, well . . . I already know what I want in life. Weiss is going to have my head later." She starts to joke, but before I can question her on why Weiss would want to kill her, the curtain to the examining table is opened and a healthy Weiss makes her exit with a cheerful Ruby and smiling doctor following along.

"This is the last time I'm ever going to be teammates with you, Yang Xiao Long." Weiss spits, already appearing to be back to her normal self since she's already started to pick a fight with Yang. "I swear, anytime a feline Faunus peeks their head around, you just have to give them your attention."

 _Wow . . . That's a bite and a half._

"Aw, come on, Weiss! We won, right? I'll admit . . . she got me just a tad pissed off, but hey! At least you're _**feline**_ alright now." Yang's cringe-worthy pun makes Ruby and I grunt in disgust. "Look, it wasn't as clean as I wanted it to be, but we got the job done. Won't happen again, I promise."

"I suppose I should let it slide this time around . . . but I won't be forgiving you anytime soon. Also, when we get back to the dorm, you need to send me what you had left over so I can use it for Ruby's ammunition. You said you restock for her, right?" Weiss questions Yang, reminding me that Yang did say her wallet wasn't the greatest thing to look at prior to our date. I can only imagine how it must look now.

"Oh . . . Say, can I talk to you for a sec, Weiss?" Yang starts to chuckle, the clear indicator that she's done something she's about to get scolded for.

"We can talk after I've signed out at the entrance. I want to get back to our room so I can shower and sleep . . . I've had enough for the day."

"You and me both." I manage to mutter.

Throughout the conversation Ruby's been surprisingly quiet. As a matter of fact, she's been idly clinging to Weiss' left arm, possibly savoring her time with her freshly-recovered girlfriend. If it were Yang that had suffered flesh damage from a lava geyser, I'd probably be in a similar state of appreciation, although I'd probably contain most of it until we were out of the public eye.

"You won't need to worry about signing out, Miss Schnee. I'll take care of all the formalities for you." The doctor answers. She's a tall blonde with hair that reaches halfway down her back. She wears a formal pair of glasses that most would stereotype a doctor to wear, and behind the frames are vivid green eyes. "A friend of Ruby's is guaranteed special treatment."

"Thanks, Doctor Summers!" Ruby practically squeals.

The name seems oddly familiar, although I don't recall having to deal with her myself.

"Thank you for your time." Weiss turns towards the doctor to offer a handshake, but at the same time Ruby lets go of Weiss' arm and practically jumps at the tall blonde to give one of her running hugs that is met without any surprise.

"It's not a problem, Miss Schnee. I couldn't turn down Team RWBY on my personal day, even if I wanted to. Once I saw what happened I came down here right away." She explains. "Good luck in the next round. I'll be rooting for you to win it for Vale."

With our conversation with Doctor Summers' concluded, we make our leave to find the exit, then an airship so we can go back to our dorm before anything else can happen. During our walk through the small medical wing, we pass by a couple of students getting some minor injuries bandaged up, including two members of Team CRDL.

Once we finish zig-zagging through the maze of the medical wing and find our way back into the main part of the Coliseum, Weiss and Yang speed on ahead, leaving Ruby and I walking together to give the two a bit of space.

"So, who was that doctor? She seems to know you pretty well." I ask, alternating between looking ahead of us to keep sight of Yang and Weiss through the thickening crowd, and turning my glare to Ruby after my question has been asked.

"Oh! That's Doctor Summers. She's been my Doctor since I came to Beacon. Isn't she awesome?" Ruby asks with a proud smile coating her face.

"She seems very nice. Next time I need treatment for anything I'll make sure to ask for her." I answer. Ruby's doctor has an air about her that radiates kindness. It's the same level of kindness you would expect from a mother, although while a mother's love is supposedly unconditional, she seems to offer that same nature to all her patients from the bottom of her heart.

"Definitely, she already knows about your . . . y'know." Ruby taps my shoulder so I can look her way to see her gesture at my bow. "She asked me while she was checking on Weiss."

 _Which is why I hate doctor's at times . . . They're eyes are trained to see through certain things._

"I guess that decides it for sure, then." I answer.

While we continue to trail Weiss and Yang, we eventually make our way out of the main Coliseum and into the fairgrounds that lead towards the airship. With the amount of people around us starting to dissipate, it also takes away the extra noise, making it much easier for me to make an attempt at eavesdropping on Weiss and Yang's conversation.

Surprisingly, there's not much for me to listen in on since Weiss' next words are said loud enough for the entire Coliseum to hear.

" **What do you mean there's nothing left!?"**


	23. Bitter Sweet

_Here's chapter 23. It's not what a lot of you were expecting, but that's what I do best.  
_

 _For those of you who enjoy my Fried Ice Cream ship, here's a small chapter for you to enjoy, and a reminder that Cinder's not exactly a Villain in my fic . . . She's more of an anti-hero._

 _As always, please leave a review, it really helps me get going on the next chapter, and big shoutout to Soullessheart1265 for helping me with a lot of my basic mistakes. Hopefully we caught them all this time around!_

 _Also . . .yes, the title is a pun._

* * *

 _ **POV: CINDER FALL**_

 _ **Chapter 23 - BitterSweet**_

* * *

"Are preparations almost ready? The singles bracket may be starting towards the end of today or tomorrow." I speak into my scroll.

"We have our airships loaded and on standby. We're ready to launch at a moment's notice. Where are we meant to deploy?"

"The way I see it, deploying into the fairgrounds and the rear exit will force the evacuation in the direction we want. Although I'm a little surprised at you, Adam."

"Surprised at what?"

"Your concern for casualties . . . why would you want to minimize them when your revolution is so focused on making examples?" I question rather casually.

"My revolution is _**for**_ the Faunus. Spilling the blood of the ones I fight for is contradictory." He explains.

"So, if only humans were in attendance . . ."

"There would be Grimm at every possible entryway." He finishes my thought.

"And here I thought we both shared an admiration for destruction . . . I'm disappointed." I chuckle and peek out the window of the dorm room.

I'm currently sitting against the windowsill, looking out towards the horizon to see several Atlesian airships circling overhead. The largest of them all is where our darling Torchwick is being held captive. While Adam may not share the same love for destruction that I do, there's no doubt that Torchwick will be enjoying himself once our plan goes into action.

"My reason is to cause a change; and I _**will**_ cause a change." He retorts.

 _A change? Do you honestly believe that things will change for the better Adam? Such a naive mind. After this is over, The White Fang will become prime targets for enraged Hunters and Huntresses. Atlas as a whole will probably mobilize a private force with the primary task of hunting down your organization. Vacuo will probably reject many Faunus that try to enter the city out of fear of them being part of The White Fang. Your only saving grace will be the lands of Mistral . . . and that's if you develop your own stronghold. You've already lost your revolution, Adam. I wonder how many lives you will lose before you realize that my hand is the only one that wins. My concern is only for myself and those who follow my direction aimlessly and without hesitation. You're foolish if you believe that I see us as equals._

"Let's hope the changes you cause are for the better." I respond to him and hang up before anything else is said.

"Am I that different from him? I want change . . . and I'm willing to go through everyone aside from those I want to protect." When I finish my statement an image flashes through my head. An image of a beautiful, innocent brunette with a single white streak going through her hair. However, the moment the image parts her lips to speak, the illusion is destroyed and I'm forced to remind myself that my thoughts are of a ghost.

The things I've had her do, the lives she's taken along the way, and the way her mindset has evolved forces me to realize that the girl I once knew is not around . . . at least not anymore.

"She's still the girl I met." I say to myself just before a white flash is caught by my peripheral vision. I turn my head to look into the room, seeing the tri-colored girl fold her parasol and hang it on the doorknob to the room. "You're . . ." I pause to look at my scroll, checking the time with a bit of surprise, ". . on time for a change. Early even."

The silent girl gives a shrug of her shoulders and sits down on the bed before anything else. I return my attention to the outside world, sparing a few more glimpses at the patrolling airships before I finally move onto the bed to sit with my back against the wall. As expected, Neo takes no time in laying her head on my lap and kicking off her shoes to make herself comfortable.

"You could at least ask." I sigh, earning a tilt of her head as well as a change in her eye color. "Is everything going well? Are your dust crystals ready to be planted? Have you secured the uniform?"

After my brief barrage of questions she raises a single digit, then nods her head. Immediately after she raises a second finger and repeats her nod, then does so again but with a third finger extended.

"Good . . . have you been keeping in good health?" I ask, but quickly cover up my reasoning. "If you're not at your best, you're a liability. I won't tolerate you failing me."

She glares at me with pink eyes, then places a hand over her lips to fake a yawn. The smug look on her face meets my unamused stare, and to further humor herself she reaches for a nearby pillow to place on my lap to make herself even more comfortable.

"You expect me to sit here because you're tired?" I question with a clear lack of patience in my voice, but with how quickly she nods in response, I'm caught between burning the pillow or leaving her be.

"You're something else at times. There are days where you are completely different . . . then others where you remind me of that day in Mistral." I find myself whispering, but realize I didn't whisper low enough to avoid her catching on.

The next time she blinks, her eyes change from the radiant, strawberry pink to her normal light-brown. To alter herself even further, I can see her lesser-used illusion change to completely change outfits without needing to lift herself from her slumbering position.

After she's done I take notice of her new attire: a simple Haven uniform. The sight of her in that outfit once again brings both enjoyable and painful flashbacks to mind. The day I met her is the first that makes itself known, but the night she was recovered after being left at the brink of death haunts my thoughts soon after.

" _Cinder, she's . . . not in good condition."_

" _Emerald, go get my stash. NOW."_

The brief memory flashes through my head, but a bit of motion on my lap draws me out of the memory before I relive all of the painful portions of it. My eyes scan Neo's figure, watching her to see that the movement that disturbed my train of thought was her lifting her head to let her hair color change as well.

The pink portion of her hair disappears, changing to a dark brown like the other half of her head. The only extra color that remains is the white streak in her hair that I recall her having the day we met.

". . . You still remember, huh?" I chuckle and break my gaze from her for a moment. "Is there a reason you've kept the appearance you have now instead of going back to how you were before . . . everything?"

I can feel Neo's weight leave my lap. The lack of her presence against my form makes me turn my head to see what she's doing, only to find her shifting around to sit herself against the wall in the same manner as me. She breaks the illusion on her hair, letting it return to the tri-colored mix before combing her fingers through it with open hand and using her other hand to gesture at me, starting off with a simple point, then switching it to a thumbs up.

"Yes, I do like your hair as it is. It's very becoming." I agree."Although I doubt that's a hairstyle you planned on having permanently. At least, that's how I look at it."

Neo starts to mime her words slightly. Usually it's easy for me to tell what she wants to say, but I tend to keep the conversation simplistic so there isn't any need for me to play a game of charades with her. I keep my eyes on her, watching as she presses both hands to her chest, clearly gesturing to herself before balling both hands into possessive fists.

"You keep . . ." I say, translating her gestures as she goes along. She then runs her hands through her hair, fixing the pink and brown to make sure the strands don't mesh together.

"You keep your hair that way . . . because . . ." I add on, watching as she gestures to herself once more, but then uses both of her hands to form an outline of a heart right before pointing at me to finish her statement. I don't bother to say the rest out loud, and instead I nod my head, confirming with her that I know what she's trying to say.

"I've told you that it's not a wise choice to fall for me, Neo . . . It's dangerous." I sigh. "You're better off staying alive so I can give you your voice back . . . and then going back to a normal life that may very well suit you better than sticking by my side."

I expect her to pose some form of argument with me, but instead she moves to her feet and makes her way to the door. I expect her to grab her parasol and leave, which would make things a little simpler in terms of dealing with her, but instead of leaving she chooses to lock the door and return to the bed, this time sitting herself on my lap.

Her body is perpendicular to mine, facing off to my right while her eyes meet my amber glare. Instead of the usual light-brown she has on a regular basis, one eye is pink, and the other is white.

As if I didn't register her earlier gesture, she goes on to lightly tap her chest, but this time she places both of her hands over her left breast, then taps both hands to my sternum.

"I understood the first time, Neo." I answer her gesture with a touch of hostility, but instead of dropping the topic she does so again without letting her gaze waiver.

 _What does she want me to say to that? I'm not going to say it . . . It'll be a mistake if I give her more reason to follow me._

"Your feelings are one-sided." I decide to bite back, hoping my words are enough to deter her gestures. I expect to see her head lower in defeat, but the mute figure shakes her head and taps her index finger to her lips.

"Just because I humor your affections doesn't mean that I-" I stop mid-sentence when her hand reaches out and lets her index finger touch the tip of my nose. "It does _**not**_ confirm anything."

Neo and I spend the next couple of minutes going back and forth with me denying her assumptions and her either shaking or nodding her head to rebut anything I this were a conversation with anyone else I probably would have lost my patience and made an attempt at their life, but Neo seems to have mastered how to press my buttons without lighting the stick of dynamite so to speak.

Our exchange gets to the point where Neo repositions herself to sit on my lap, but this time faces me with her legs resting on either side of my body. I raise an eyebrow, watching her gesture carefully to make sure she doesn't try anything I would disapprove of.

The small, mute figure goes on to grab both of my wrists and guide my hands straight to her neck, and never breaks her gaze away from mine. At first I can't seem to understand what she's trying to say, but then she presses her fingers to the back of mine and practically forces my grip on her throat to tighten.

"What? Why would I?" I question her, but don't make an attempt to move my fingers from her neck.

With that ever-growing smug look on her face, she lifts her right hand and wags her index finger back and forth. The smug grin she bares changes into a confident smile that starts to annoy me for some reason.

"I wouldn't? What makes you so certain?" I ask in a way that tells her I'm ready to call her bluff.

It's then that she repeats her earlier motion, but this time she does it in the reverse. Both of her palms carefully press over my heart for about five seconds, then she takes the chance to slowly move her hands to gesture at herself. All the while her smile never leaves her face.

". . . I haven't killed you because you still have use to me. If you want to believe there's an alternative, then so be it." I say, making a clear attempt at avoiding the situation altogether. "If believing that makes you do your job, then so be it . . . but I won't have you trying to make me say that I love you."

The second I finish my sentence I can see her face light up. From a simple smile she breaks into a cheek-to-cheek look of pure elation, even going as far as to give light, rapid claps to portray her satisfaction. When I pause and think long enough to echo my own words, my cheeks turn a shade of red that could rival my default attire. Almost immediately I place both of my hands on the left side of Neo's body and push the small form off of my lap to give me a chance to regroup.

"That isn't what I meant!" I scream at her, but from her position I can see her fighting back tears of silent laughter from my discomposure.

"So, she finally admits her feelings. Should've waited a couple of hours . . . the sunset in this room is pretty romantic."

The last voice I would ever want to hear in this situation makes itself known from the open window. With a grit of my teeth I turn my head to see Mercury sitting in the windowsill. The left side of his body is facing towards the room, while his right arm and leg hang out of the window to let him find a comfortable balance on it.

"Mercury, if you utter another word I'll-"

"Don't let me interrupt . . . I think you deserve someone like Neo . . . She's tried to cut my throat one too many times . . . but you are an ice-cream lover." He smirks.

I expect Neo to make an attempt at her parasol to hold the blade to his neck once more, but when I look down at her, her eyes are only locked onto mine, and the tears that started to flow down her cheeks are still continuing. Her laughter is now replaced with a genuine smile that puts me in one of the toughest situations I could think of.

Do I offer to hug her, or do I disregard her emotional state? While one is more relieving, it still leaves me battling with Mercury afterwards, but the other will allow Mercury to further taunt me, and also eat away at my own consciousness for not responding properly to her body language.

"Mercury . . . you choose the worst times to-"

"Don't gotta say a word . . . I'm going." He chuckles and climbs into the room to make his way to the door. As he walks by he looks down at Neo's boots and takes a moment to take out one of the laces before continuing on his way. Normally I'd question him on it, but I just want him to leave as soon as possible.

"I'm just going to put this here for you." Mercury casually opens the door and appears to be fiddling with the doorknob for some reason. When he's done and steps into the hallway, I take note that Neo's shoelace is now tied onto the outside handle, making for an obvious gesture for any and all who see it. "Bon apetite~"

His final words come out with his traditional smirk, and immediately after he pulls the door shut; giving us the privacy I demanded, but not before getting his own kick out of the situation . . . for another countless time.

I revert my eyes back to Neo, and without sparing a word I extend my left arm in her direction. My gesture is caught onto immediately, leaving no time for me to brace for the small form diving at my torso to wrap both of her arms underneath mine and lay her head at the top of my left breast. At times it's hard for me to imagine that this affectionate girl with such sweet gestures is capable of doing the work that she does.

"I'm only going to say this once." I say, hooking my arm around her torso to pull at her, forcing her to readjust herself to a kneeling position while also releasing me from her hug. "If you make it known to anyone that I uttered these words . . . I will _**personally**_ see to it that each of your knuckles are dislocated , , , all twenty eight."

She nods her head, planting her knees and palms onto the bed to get herself into a more comfortable position. She takes the time to drag the back of her hands along the bottom of her cheeks before swiping upwards to wipe her tears off of her flesh while also getting most of the waterworks at the source. I let her take her time, waiting until her pink iris and white iris stare me down so I can say a phrase I never planned on uttering for a very long time.

"Neo," I begin, shifting my weight off of the wall so I can instead lean forward to bring my lips towards her ear. "You're a pain in my ass.

But I love you."


	24. Queen-Sized Ice-Queen

_Merry Fat-Guy-In-Your-Chimney Day!_

 _So, here's the Christmas chapter. I got it out with like two minutes to spare! For those of you overseas . . . Well . . . It's still Christmas for me, so don't try to hit me with any of that technicality bullcrap!_

 _Here's Chapter 24, please enjoy Winter being the blunt older sister!_

 _As always, please leave a review :D It helps me write the next chapter_

* * *

 _ **POV: WEISS SCHNEE**_

 _ **Chapter 24 - Queen-Sized Ice-Queen**_

* * *

"Alright? That's what I spent it on. Look, if you want me to refund it, I do have a receipt on my scroll." Yang takes a deep breath after explaining the situation. I gave her far more than enough lien to last myself at least a week if needed, but Yang went and spent all of it within the span of about four hours. I've always known I couldn't trust her with Schnee funds, but this is beyond ridiculous.

"So you spent it on this . . . and that." I ask, gesturing to her scroll with skeptical eyes. "Show me the receipts. I find it hard to believe that those all added up to what I gave you." I argue.

After everything that's happened, our team decided it best to relax for the rest of the day. Blake and Ruby wanted to watch a couple of more matches to at least see if Team JNPR will make it into the finals. Yang and I decided to go to the fairgrounds - or at least that was our story - to build distance to have the conversation we're currently involved in.

At the moment the two of us are sitting down in our dorm. I'm currently sitting on my bed while Yang took the wooden chair of our desk to sit on it. I wish she would have the decency to sit in it properly, but instead she opted to sit on it backwards, making the backrest act as the front of the chair. The odd method of sitting forces her to keep her legs apart; which honestly makes her appear as even more of a tomboy than I already see her as. It's also slightly uncomfortable the way her shorts ride up on her thighs slightly thanks to her adopted posture.

The moment we got into the room, Yang discarded her jacket and skirt to change into her usual tanktop and shorts to help herself unwind while getting rid of the lingering scent of spent ammunition that stained her outerwear.

"On it. Let me just-" Yang turns her scroll away from me while she flicks her finger over the screen, maneuvering through her menus to find the receipt that will confirm if she is telling me the truth or not. She takes around thirty seconds to finish finding everything she needs and turns her scroll to show me four different receipts. Two of them I dismiss as her nightly expenses, and considering how possessive Blake appeared to be of the books she came back to the dorm with, I assume the pricey ticket was worth it in her eyes, which is what matters in the end. The other two items I find the prices for do add up to what I gave Yang, immediately making me gesture for her to put her scroll away.

"Everything adds up, but when are they getting here?" I ask with folded arms.

"Well . . . part of all that was VIP delivery. It's coming from Atlas, and I sort of put your name on the receipt. If I had to guess . . . maybe a couple of hours? I'm sure Atlas doesn't want to keep a Schnee waiting." Yang shrugs her shoulders.

"Are you telling me you used my name to get a faster delivery for Blake?" I ask with more agitation than actual anger. After a moment of thinking on the matter I hold out my left hand to stop her from answering the question. "Forget it . . . it's something you're willing to do for her."

Almost on cue my scroll begins to vibrate and a notification pops up on the bottom right-hand corner. I swipe the notification towards the center of the screen to make it enlarge and show the full message.

" _Your delivery from Atlas is in Pickup."_

I sigh and turn my scroll to let Yang see the notification sent to me by Beacon staff. In one second I have a blond sitting in front of me in one of the more tomboyish postures I could think of, in the next instant I'm left alone as she trips on her chair and rapidly crawls towards the door while getting to her feet in a rush to get her package.

"That . . . idiot. How is she supposed to get the package without me?"

Knowing very well that there's zero chance of me catching up to Yang, I begin fishing through my scroll for documentation that labels the roster of Team RWBY then take the initiative to forward it to Yang's scroll.

Now, I'm left with a plethora of option and nothing to help dictate which would be better. I could venture back to the Coliseum and join back up with the R&B of Team RWBY, but if the documentation I sent Yang doesn't suffice then it's better that I stay here until I confirm that she got her package, otherwise there will be a very loud commotion echoing through Beacon. I could also head towards the VIP section of the Coliseum to meet up with Winter and Shun, but that also leaves me with the possible backfire of Yang needing me to retrieve the package.

 _So, I'm stuck in this room until Yang gets back. Lovely._

With little for me to do, I decide to message Ruby to let her know I'm helping Yang with a few things, If anything, I can at least try to hold a conversation with my girlfriend, even if we're separated for the time being.

 _ **Me**_ _: I'm helping out Yang with a few things, I'll tell you about it later._

 _ **Ruby Rose:**_ _Is it about the package she spent all your lien on?_

I raise an eyebrow at how Ruby would know about the situation, then make certain to ask her about it.

 _ **Me:**_ _How do you know about that?_

 _ **Ruby Rose:**_ _Well, aside from the fact that you yelled_ ' _ **What do you mean there's nothing left?'**_ _earlier, Yang and I do share a bank account. All I need to do is check and see what her recent charges were. She bought something from Atlas._

 _ **Me:**_ _You nosy little sneak. Is anyone peeping at your scroll?_

 _ **Ruby Rose:**_ _If by 'anyone' you mean Blake, then no._

 _ **Me:**_ _Yang got something for Blake. I don't think I'm inclined to tell what it is._

 _ **Ruby Rose:**_ _Oh, Yang already hinted to me. I can't wait to see Blake's face!_

Just as I'm about to respond, a couple of solid knocks on the door draw my attention away from my scroll. To avoid Ruby hanging in the dark, I take a quick moment to type out ' _Be Right Back'_ prior to placing my scroll onto the bed.

I stand up and walk to the door, assuming it to be Yang who is far too excited to use her scroll, but when I open the door I'm surprised to see that it's my sister instead, and it seems she's lacking the company of a certain Faunus.

"Winter? Is everything okay?" I ask with a tilt of my head.

"Everything is satisfactory . . . It just occurred that I never looked at your dorm." She answers while peeking over me.

"Oh, come in. The bunk **-** beds only _**look**_ unstable." I warn before stepping aside to welcome my sister into the room.

The moment I give her the room to enter, she steps in with her hands crossed behind her back in her usual posture. While I close the door behind her, I take notice of her facial expression after looking at how dangerous-looking Ruby's suspended bed looks. I can't say that the creaking sound it makes when Ruby's on it doesn't scare me half to death, but I've learned to trust in the ropes that keep it suspended - after having Blake re-do each and every knot.

"So, _**this**_ is your quarters? Hardly befitting a Schnee." Winter bites.

"It's not too bad. The bed with rope is Ruby's, the one underneath is mine, and the other two you can assume by process of elimination."

"I see . . . although I don't understand why there are four beds." Winter comments while she walks over to Ruby's bed to examine the ropes.

"What do you mean? There are four of us." I respond with confusion audible in my voice.

"Well, aren't you and Ruby Rose an item? I would assume sharing a bed was one of your first advances." Winter comments, still checking the ropes without a single change in her voice, which somewhat disturbs me considering what she just mentioned. It's awkward to have my older, prim-and-proper sister talk to me about the progress of my relationship with a _**girl**_. I honestly assumed Winter would have been just as opposed to my relationship as Father, but she's been far more supportive than I could have imagined.

"We, well . . ." I pause, hesitating on how I'm going to word my next sentence, "we do share a bed . . . my bed to be exact. It's just not a daily thing?" I question more than answer.

"So your bed is the one used for when you two wish to remain close at night?" Winter looks over her shoulder at me. Instead of giving a verbal response, I nod my head. "I see."

Winter steps away from the bed after my answer and walks over to our room's window. She takes the chance to pull the drapes apart, but not before commenting on the large, poorly-stitched cut on one of them. After she spreads the drapes, the next thing she does is open the window as far as it can go.

"Let's see . . . this window is about three feet wide . . . easily over five feet high . . . it should fit." Winter says out loud to herself.

"What will fit?" I ask, but as I'm asking the question I see four of Winter's glyphs surround each of the ropes suspending Ruby's bed. As if on cue, the four glyphs cut the ropes and a fifth glyph appears underneath to catch the mattress and frame at the same time. I watch on in awe as Winter makes little work in sandwiching Ruby's bed between two glyphs and turning it sideways to line it up with the window. The only thing she takes time to remove are Ruby's blanket and bedsheets before sending the stripped mattress and wooden frame out the window.

"Winter, that's not your decision to-" I cringe, hearing the loud impact of the wooden frame and mattress hitting the ground after the three-story drop, "- decision to make."

"As your older sister I think it's my obligation to help with your relationship . . . I'm sure Ruby Rose will have no objections." She answers in her usual dismissive manner before going to my bed to take a seat. "At least now there's ample room to sit."

After a brief pause I stare at Winter with a skeptical look on my face. Did she just throw Ruby's mattress out the window so she could sit down without hitting her head?

"So, aren't you missing your temporary shadow?" I joke, knowing that Winter will catch on to who I'm talking about.

"The fem-loving faunus? I saw her earlier . . . She was walking with a purpose alongside a man with silver hair, and a woman with emerald hair. I did call out to her, but I didn't even get a glance my way. I assume it was something important." Winter shrugs.

"Oh? I'm surprised you even called out to her." I comment with a say while holding back a giggle. "The last thing you want is her getting even more riled up because you decided to call out to her."

"True, although her company isn't necessarily _**terrible**_."

"Just yesterday you were complaining about her advances." I counter.

"And I still dislike them. Her company in itself is somewhat pleasant."

"Are you calling her pleasant?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm calling her 'not unpleasant'. She's far from being enjoyable, and her conversation skills need ample work. Her pickup lines are by far one of her worst features. It's almost as distasteful as that stare of hers." Winter lets out a sharp exhale through gritted teeth.

"What stare? She doesn't exactly make eye contact." I comment, remembering the mistake I made at the Mansion when I made eye contact with her.

"Are you kidding me? That flirtatious feline stares at me out of the corner of her eye every chance she gets! It's gotten to a point where I've asked her if something is wrong, only for her to look away and begin an argument." Winter groans, clearly not seeing the signs that I am. It's almost like looking at a reflection of myself. Ruby made certain advances and acted a certain way with me that I never took notice of . . . it's almost enough to make me feel bad for the Cheetah Faunus.

"Well, just tell her to stop it." I answer after thinking on the situation. "Just voice your lack of interest, or discomfort. I've told you before, she's not going to harass you, she's just a flirt . . . like a certain teammate of mine." I grumble the last part underneath my breath.

It's barely moments after my mumbling that the door to the room is opened and an elated Yang comes inside with a small box tucked comfortably under her arm. After she steps inside she looks at me, then notices my sister sitting on my bed. Although what really catches her attention is the extra ceiling room we now have.

"Umm . . . where did my sister's bed go?" Yang asks, but doesn't show too much urgency in getting her question answered. Her first priority is hiding the box she just brought into the room under my bed for safe keeping.

"The ropes were fragile. I took it upon myself to discard it before my sister gets hurt. I'm sure you can understand as an older sister." Winter answers Yang's question for me, although she seems to be stretching the truth just a little bit.

"I mean . . . are you getting her a new bed?" Yang asks while she's on one knee, working on getting the box far enough underneath to hide from sight, but still be at a range where it's easily obtainable when needed.

"Well, if needed I could get them a queen-sized mattress. It's certainly more comfortable than a twin-bed." Winter comments, making me cringe. I expect her words to start a feud between the 'encouraging older sister' and the 'overprotective older sister'; that's a war I don't think I will be too fond of.

"Hey, if you're being generous . . . I could use one for me and Blakey." Yang responds in a kidding manner.

"That can easily be arranged if needed." Winter says without hesitation, drawing the surprised gaze of both Yang and myself.

"Seriously? I mean . . . sure. I'd love a queen-size for me and Kittycat." Yang says with obvious surprise that my sister is much easier to barter with than I am, at least in this situation.

"The beds will be here by morning. Is that soon enough?" Winter asks while she takes out her scroll and starts to maneuver through the menus of her device. "If you want it before then . . . I can have them arrive and be installed by ten in the evening if you wouldn't mind waiting that long."

 _Is she serious!?_

"Are you pulling my leg? Don't joke around with that, I've always wanted a queen-size." Yang practically admits her desire for the bed which could end up backfiring on her. Winter has little to no problem seizing an opportunity when it's given to her. Having Yang in her debt could prove to be a bad trade for the team's brawler.

"I'm not 'pulling your leg'. They can be here before ten, but I require your . . . expertise in a matter in exchange." Winter declares, confirming my suspicions. "It's nothing too bizarre or unreasonable. Care to take a walk?"

"Umm . . . Sure?" Yang agrees with hesitation.

Within seconds of Yang's agreement the two of them are out the door, leaving me alone yet again. I walk to my bed and sit down, remembering that I told Ruby that I would be right back. I open up my messages, unsure of what to say after what just happened.

 _ **Me:**_ _I'm back. What did I miss?_

 _ **Ruby Rose:**_ _Not much! JNPR just whooped butt! Nora and Pyrrha are scary together!_

 _ **Me:**_ _That's good for them. I have a question._

 _ **Ruby Rose:**_ _I have an answer._

 _ **Me:**_ _What would you say to a queen-sized bed?_


	25. Gifting Advice and Advice for Gifting

_Alright, here's chapter 25. I added a RWBY Chibi reference, I wonder how many of you will catch onto it. It's fairly easy to spot._

 _Also, Happy New Year to everyone. I hope your celebrations went well and all that junk. I actually went bowling for New Years, and had a blast!_

 _So, please enjoy the chapter and drop a review. Tell me what you think, what you like, what you dislike._

 _I tried to go back to my old and more popular style of backtracking from the previous chapter, then continuing on. I need to get back into the habit of doing that. It's always been my strong suite and I shouldn't step away from it too much._

* * *

 _ **POV: YANG XIAO LONG**_

 _ **Chapter 25 - Gifting Advice, and Advice for Gifting**_

* * *

I tilt my head as Weiss turns her scroll so I can see the display. When I can see the screen clearly I read the message and who the sender is, that being the Beacon Staff, and the message itself is telling her that a package has arrived.

 _That has to be . . . MINE!?_

I make haste and scramble for the door, forgetting everything aside from the clothes on my back while I fight to get onto my feet and break into an all-out sprint towards Storage. Beacon's storage is probably one of the more visited areas any given day of the week. Anything from ammunition, spare clothes, and any packages that come into Beacon for teachers and students alike.

Most of the time when I go down to Storage is to grab ammo for Ember Celica and Crescent Rose. Ruby got me into the - bad - habit of ordering only the best ammo for my Babies. I end up spending a little more than I want to for our ammunition, but I guess it's all worth it in the end. It makes maintenance on Ember Celica a lot easier since the buckshots I use tend to leave less debris in the chamber and barrel than the surplus rounds I usually get.

As I sprint my way through Beacon I catch several wandering eyes and questioning glares which are probably thanks to the clothes I'm wearing. The moment I got into the dorm room I took off my outfit since it completely reeked of gunpowder and debris, so instead of my usual brown jacket and skirt, I'm stuck in my black borderline booty shorts and orange tank-top that doesn't do too well with keeping the sides of my bra from showing. Honestly, I should've remembered my shoes at least, but some things just take complete priority in my mind, and Blake happens to be one of those things.

My lack of footwear is noted when I shoulder charge through the double-doors of the dormitory to cross the courtyard. The feeling of my weight slamming down onto concrete and brick forces me to focus my aura just enough to null each impact so I can keep at a full sprint without any discomfort. As I sprint through the courtyard I spot an Atlas uniform passing by and almost mistake it for Weiss for some reason, but I blame my rush to get to Pick-up for that mix up.

After getting into Beacon's storage room, I walk up to the Officer's Area of Concentration (AOC) that keeps all the weapons, ammo, and other goodies separated and out of reach from anyone who enters. To complete the security of the inventory, every inch above the wall-to-wall desk is covered with a giant chain-linked fence and plexi-glass to make sure the person on the other side is completely safe from harm.

The floor is dark and dirty. The material is obviously solid, smooth cement while the walls are reinforced with solid, stainless steel to assure that the room is the most well-protect from the outside world. The ceiling is pretty low, sitting at about twelve feet (which I think is pretty low for a storage unit) although behind the counter I can tell that it gets higher the further towards the back you go. The lighting overhead isn't the brightest thing in the world, but does manage to illuminate the room well, at least until you notice the slightly darker spots between each light from how dim they are.

"Hey, pickup for Weiss Schnee." I say while I walk up to the person on the other side of the plexiglass. To my surprise, the person standing there this time around is Professor Goodwitch. Perhaps the fact that I forgot my scroll might not be too bad since she knows I'm teammates with Weiss.

"Ms. Xiao Long . . . Why are you picking up Mis. Schnee's package?" Goodwitch glares at me from behind the frame of her glasses. In the dim lighting of the room and the slight reflection of light her glasses have, it's almost more intimidating than her normal stare.

"Well . . ." I begin, thinking of an excuse, "you saw how messed up Weiss got in that last match. Just doing her a favor, y'know?"

 _Damn, I'm smooth._

"I see . . . and why couldn't Ms. Rose come and retrieve the package for _**her**_ partner?" Goodwitch prods a little further this time. "I'm certain your team leader would have more responsibility than that."

"Well, Weiss and I had to have a small talk. Miscommunication on the field and all that junk. We wanted it to be between us, so we asked Blake and Rubes to give us the room for a bit. Just so happens that Weiss got the notification at the same time and I decided to come get it as my apology to her . . .I kind of got tunnel-vision during our battle." I explain, hoping that will be the end of things and I can get my package from her already.

"I see;" Goodwitch responds before she looks down at a clipboard that holds the manifest for the storage room. "Then I'll just require your ID, team roster, and written acknowledgement that you can accept Ms. Schnee's packages."

 _Dust me sideways . . ._

"Yeah, ummm . . . about that." I start to chuckle and at the same time I can hear the door to the room open up again.

"So this is where you were in a rush to. Hey, Glynda." I turn towards the doorway to see Uncle Qrow walking in, although he takes his time getting to us while he observes all the gadgets and weapons decorating the back room. "Not bad at all . . . Got any surplus?"

"What are you doing here, Qrow?" Glynda asks with more hostility than usual. I guess she's had to deal with Uncle Qrow one too many times.

"Well . . . I came to a little revelation a couple of weeks back and figured I'd test things out. You got a minute?" Uncle Qrow asks, finally reaching the counter to place a forearm on it.

"I hardly have the time to deal with you or your games, Qrow." Glynda glares at him then at me. In an attempt to get away from my Uncle I see her turn around and disappear for a moment, leaving me and Uncle Qrow a couple of moments to speak.

"So, what _**are**_ you doing here?" I decide to ask to sate my own curiosity.

"Well, I'm not gonna just watch my niece sprint by in her PJs and _**not**_ think something's up. Where's the fire, Firecracker?" He asks while taking glances at the other side of the plexiglass to make sure Goodwitch isn't within earshot.

"Well . . . I ordered something in Weiss' name - yes, she knows I did - and it just came in. I'm just super excited to get it. It's for Blake." I elaborate, but decide it's best not to tell him what it is. I want my _**entire**_ team to know what the gift is before anybody else.

"Good for you, Kiddo. How're the younger couple making progress?"

"Well . . . I don't think Weiss ever took Ruby out on a date . . . She took Ruby clothes shopping and all that junk, but Weiss is always trying to get Ruby something she wants, so that's easily overlooked. They're still going strong, and I've stopped bugging them like you wanted. If-"

"It's not just like I wanted, Yang. I could see how annoyed your favorite Faunus would get when you bothered them. On top of that, the duo you chose to bother didn't like it one bit. You were too tunnel-visioned to see that you were bothering everyone else with your big sister mood." He corrects.

"You're the second person today to tell me about my tunnel vision, ugh! Wait, did you ever ask Glynda out yet?" I ask once I remember the declaration he made a while back.

" _ **I see, my niece has yet again found a girl . . . I wonder how long this one will last. I give it a week, and if it goes passed, then well . . . I'll ask out that Glynda lady at Beacon next time I visit."**_

At the time Blake and I had already been together well over a month, so that left Uncle Qrow with immediate regret when he found out from Blake herself.

"I was hoping you'd forgotten." He sighs.

"As if. Just let me take my package and get out the door before you do it. I don't want it getting damaged." I snicker. Uncle Qrow stares at me with one of his lesser amused glares just as he sucks his teeth.

"You should be concerned about your uncle getting massacred." He practically shouts. "Kids nowadays never respect their elders."

"You'll be alright. You're not _**that**_ much of a geezer just yet." My comment earns another glare from Uncle Qrow, followed by his usual denial that comes anytime I tell him he's old.

"I'm not old."

Before we can get any further in our conversation, Glynda comes back with Weiss' package and passes it to me.

"Look at that A+ service. Get that out of here before something happens to it . . . with my luck something will." Uncle Qrow jokes.

"Yeah, yeah. Just start doing your thing." I dismiss. I'm quick to take the small box and make my way out the door, somehow managing to stumble before I'm quick to regain my composure..

 _Of all the times . . .I'm_ _ **not**_ _falling with this in my hands. Never in a million years._

With my footing regained, I walk out the door and take a small sidestep to listen for what's going on. Unfortunately, Uncle Qrow keeps his voice down, but Goodwitch's voice starts to pick up in volume until I can hear her threatening my uncle to get out. Before things can get much worse, I start my jog back towards the dorm to make sure I get there before Blake and Ruby get back.

I follow the same path I came, retracing my steps with a little more patience now that I have a gift for Blake I can only hope she'll cherish as much as I do. I almost want to open it up now and make sure everything's okay, but waiting until I'm back in the safety and privacy of the room may be the better bet.

It's not long before I'm back in front of the room door, but more than anything I'm surprised to see that it's just barely cracked open, just enough that I can tell the lock wasn't able to secure. Out of slight worry I push the door open with assertion, only to see Weiss, her older sister, and an obvious lack of a bed.

"Umm . . . where did my sister's bed go?" I ask. While I wait for an answer I step into the room, using my foot to push the door shut behind me. My first priority is getting this box put away for now. I don't want to open it while Weiss' sister is here, and I'm not going to kick the lady out since I wouldn't want Weiss to try kicking out Uncle Qrow or something should he visit. I'm starting to get this common courtesy thing down to a science.

"The ropes were fragile. I took it upon myself to discard it before my sister gets hurt. I'm sure you can understand as an older sister." Winter says while I kneel down next to her to slide the box underneath Weiss' bed. I guess if I saw something was a danger to Rubes, I'd more than likely want it gone. The bed was dangerous, but it's held up well the past few months. If Winter is anything like me, then she probably took it upon herself to get rid of it and ignored whatever Weiss was saying on the matter. If I can take anything out of the situation, let me at least see if she plans on getting my sister a new bed. Beacon takes way too long with request forms.

"I mean . . .are you getting her a new bed?" I ask, making sure the box is well hidden, but also at a spot I can reach easily. When I'm done I move to my feet, keeping my attention on the older Schnee sister.

"Well, if needed I could get them a queen-sized mattress.-"

 _Ah, so the older sister is helping the relationship. This makes more sense . . . You have some good backup, Weiss._

"-It's certainly more comfortable than a twin-bed." She says in a pretty dismissive manner.

"Hey, if you're being generous. I could use one for me and Blakey." I kid, already knowing the gameplay here is to get Ruby and Weiss just a little bit closer. Why should she bother with me and Blake? It's still fun to mess with a Schnee if they all have the same fuse as Weiss.

"That can be arranged if needed."

 _Wait, what? She's messing with me._

"Seriously?" I start, then clear my throat to take on a more nonchalant tone. "I mean . . . sure. I'd love a queen-size for me and Kittycat."

"The beds will be here by morning. Is that soon enough?" Just as she says that she moves to her feet and takes out her scroll. "If you want it before then, I can have them arrive and be installed by ten in the evening **if** you wouldn't mind waiting that long."

 _Why couldn't she have been the one to come to Beacon!? She's way nicer than Ice Queen! Okay, let me not say that . . . Weiss seriously saved my ass last night, but still . . .if Weiss was this nice when I first met her, I think we would've been friends waaaay sooner. Wait, she could still be messing with me. I hope not._

"Are you pulling my leg?" I ask with disbelief still fresh in my mind. "Don't joke around with that, I've always wanted a queen-size." I admit, hope fresh in my tone.

"I'm not 'pulling your leg'." Winter reassures, making my face light up in happiness. "They can be here before ten, but I require your . . . 'expertise' in a matter in exchange." She says with a serious look in her eye.

 _My expertise? So . . . she wants me to beat someone up? Can't be that easy, can it?_

"Ummm," I hesitate, weighing the situation before realizing the result is me getting to share a bed with Kittycat for the next few semesters. Nothing will ever outweigh that. "Sure?"

Upon my agreement, Winter makes her way towards the door. My feet practically move by themselves to follow behind her, leaving Weiss alone while I try to find out what the elder Schnee sister needs from me. As we enter the hallway Winter turns left, taking the path that appears to be longer. However, halfway down the hallway she stops; making me realize that she chose the spot where there were barely any doors for someone to eavesdrop on us.

"So, what's up?" I ask, leaning on one side of the hall while Winter stands against the other wall directly across from me.

"I don't- The ceiling?" She answers with a quirked brow.

"Wow." I shake my head and throw my forehead into my right palm. "It's slang; 'What do you need?' is what I meant to say."

"As surprising as it is, I need your advice on a sensitive topic." She starts to say, immediately piquing my curiosity on the subject.

"Oh? 'Bout what?" I push myself off of the wall to stand upright.

"Well, it regards-" Winter places her hands on her hips and starts to gaze around like I would do before bringing up a stressful topic. She then takes a loud inhale through her nose, then exhales from her mouth before making eye contact with me once more. "It regards that insatiable gamin you've apparently known for a while."

"A game? What game are we talking about here? Total Annihilation? I know some pretty sick combos in that game that'll-"

"I'm not talking about a videogame, you boob!" She bites with a firm stomp of her heel into the carpet.

"Don't go getting a rack attack on me. I'm trying to help you out here; and I'm not _**all**_ boob, I've got some butt to add to it." I gloat, further enforcing my point by turning my left side towards Winter, giving her a good view at my profile. I place my left hand on my hip and my right hand on the back of my head to send my hair over my shoulder while I strike my pose. "Case **and** point."

My tease towards Winter makes her stare at me awkwardly for a few seconds, then shake her head once she recovers. She raises her left hand to me, gesturing me to stop with the clear-as-day look of annoyance coating her face.

"It's this precise reason why I need your advice, unfortunately." She sighs, "I am talking about the insufferable, annoying, inconsiderate, flirtatious faunus that you seem to know pretty well."

"Hito?" I question, surprised that Winter would have anything to ask me about her. I guess she's finally had enough of Hito's advances. I can't say I'm too surprised, though. Hito's always been an aggressive flirt. "I'll tell her to calm down. Sorry about that, she means well."

"Excuse me? She hasn't been very . . . forward with me. If anything, she's been a little more respectful of my personal space . . . My question is more . . . complex than that." Winter says, this time avoiding eye contact with me.

"Well I'm not a mind reader! Spill it, already!" I shout, my lack of patience proving to be a weakness of mine.

"How do you do it?"

"What?" Her question makes me pause, more out of confusion as to what she's asking about.

"How do you do it?" She repeats, this time being a little more assertive which makes me feel at ease. I get the same vibe from Winter as I do from Weiss; if Weiss is ever uneasy or hesitant when we talk I start to feel uncomfortable.

"How do I do what? You aren't making a lot of sense." I sigh, definitely not ready for a conversation that is going to keep leading in circles.

"How do you . . . talk so confidently around . . ." She says one more word, but it's a little too low for me to catch it.

"What was that? Didn't catch that last word." I say to her. I take a step closer and turn my head to hopefully have an easier time listening.

"How do you talk so confidently around . . ." She trails off again, this time pissing me off enough to punch the wall next to her.

"Look, if you want my help, then I'll help. I can't help if you're going to keep being a mute on what you need from me. I'm not a mind reader. Either you spill it, or I walk." I rant.

"I need to know how you're able to speak so confidently around . . . people."

"What? You're kidding right? Aren't you some sort of high rank in the army? Why would you need advice about being confident around people? What does this have to do with Hito anywa- ohhhhh."

"What are you thinking!? This has nothing to do with that flirtatious feline!" Winter practically shouts.

"Oh? Then why did you say it was about her when we first started talking?" I ask while taking a step closer. A smirk starts to cross my face as I piece together the puzzle bit by bit. "Now that I know what this is about . . . care to start being honest?"

Winter takes a deep breath and looks down both sides of the hall before she starts to speak up again.

"Her company isn't terrible, and while her flirtations make me uncomfortable . . . they also offer me a sense of . . . confidence in terms of my appearance."

"So she makes you feel attractive. She's good at that. Go on."

"I doubt I have any form of attraction to her . . . I just want to accept her compliments properly but . . ."

"But you got a slight case of homophobia, is that it?" I ask with confidence that I hit the mark. When she gives me a look that confirms my suspicion in a questioning manner, I decide to explain how I caught on so easily. "Let's face it, if she gives you confidence yet manages to make you uncomfortable, it means you like what she's saying, but the fact that she's saying it brings you discomfort. See, I doubt anybody could compliment me and creep me out unless well . . . they're a creep, but Hito's far from that."

"I didn't say I want to encourage her." Winter argues,

"I think you do. Even if it's just to see how her attitude will change. Besides, you have the head strength to fight her back if needed. Here's the best advice I got: Call her by a nickname, any nickname. Promise you that'll make her kick it up just a notch. You don't even need to act differently or talk differently. Now, if that's all . . .I need to head back and open a package."

"I see. Thank you for your time."

With our conversation concluded, Winter and I walk back to the room to see that Weiss is still alone. At the moment she seems to be texting Ruby from her scroll while sitting on her bed. Winter takes the time to sit down next to Weiss while I go underneath the bed to pull out my package. It's not until I set the box down on Weiss' night stand that she finally starts talking to us.

"I hope your conversation went well. Oh, Blake and Ruby are on their way back. Team JNPR are already expecting you to knock on their door. You can open the box there." Weiss says to me with a smile. "If I can offer my opinion . . . staging an altercation in the hallway for her to break may be the best way to give it to her. She'll be worried, then surrounded by friends. It may be the best mood shift, at least in my opinion."

"Look at you, Weiss! You're a love guru!" I tease.

"At least I'm trying. After seeing how happy Blake's been after your date, I personally want to take a trip with Ruby. Father knows about us, so there's no point in us hiding _**too**_ much from the public. Ruby and I can play things off and let the rumors stay as such for the time being."

"Just be careful, Weiss." Winter interrupts. "Enjoy yourself, but don't do it just to spite Father. I'm sure Ruby Rose would want your affections to come from the heart, not out of spite or obligation. Do what you feel will be best."

"Should practice what you preach." I bite at Winter, smirking when the older sister stares at me with disapproving eyes. I pick up Blake's gift, completely unaffected by the stare and make my way into the hall to knock firmly on Team JNPR's I'm not waiting long before Ren opens the door and beckons me inside as quickly as possible.

"Weiss was very abstract over her scroll, but we assume you have a gift for Blake that you don't want her seeing." Ren explains while he closes the door behind me.

As I enter I see Pyrrha and Jaune sitting together on the bed furthest from the door along the right side of the room. Nora, on the other hand, is sitting against the wall on her bed which is the furthest along the left side of the room. She's wearing her headphones and is reading through a comic book of some kind. At first glance I assume that it's the new issue of Grognak The Barbarian. I may end up skimming through it while I'm here.

"Hey, Yang. So, mind telling us what you got her?" Jaune waves at me while I place the box on the closest bed possible.

"She'll tell us if she wants, Jaune. We're just providing her a safe place from Blake's eyes to open it." Pyrrha nudges him as she talks, but starts to giggle right after.

To my surprise, Nora's been completely quiet, but the moment I start to look around the package for tape I can rip off, Nora disappears from her bed and reappears at my side to overlook the unboxing.

"Oooo, so whatcha get her? Is it a new bow? Blake loves her bows! Or maybe it's a kitty toy? Catnip? Oh, I got it! You're just giving her the box!" Nora starts to guess, and while all are pretty good gifts that I wouldn't hesitate to get her. For once I decided to be completely serious.

"I'll be glad to show you if I could find a way to open this stupid box." I groan.

"Oh, allow me." Pyrrha calls out from her side of the room. I look towards her direction to see her hand holding a dark tint around it. I throw the back of my forearm into Nora's collarbone, moving her from the box while I do the same. In one quick motion I see Pyrrha's sword swipe through the top of the box but I don't see any motion from the cubed container at all. Immediately after, with the flat-end of the blade, she pushes the top of the box to show that it slides right off after the clean cut.

Nora tries to beat me to the box, but I decide to beat her to the punch and slug her in the arm to send her towards Jaune and Pyrrha while I reach inside to pull out an even smaller box that's just about 6 centimeters in terms of length, width and height. Instead of being a brown color like the box it was in, this one is completely white. I shift the item into my left hand so I can reach in and find the second box that's a little bit flatter, but also wider in terms of length and width. This box is a jet black.

"So, if I had to take my guess." Pyrrha calls out now that both of my gifts are exposed. "One may possibly be a ring of some kind. You two haven't been together too long for marriage . . . but a Promise Ring can be an adequate gift to prove that Blake is the one for you. The other may be another kind of jewelry, but by the shape of the box, I'm going to assume it's a necklace, possibly two. One with your emblem for her to wear? Then the other is her emblem for you to wear? Or will you let her choose which she wants to see if she understands the purpose?"

My jaw drops as I look at Pyrrha while she not only guesses the contents, but the plan I have to go along with them. The way she talks, she's more sure of herself than questioning. It's pretty impressive, or maybe I'm just that predictable. Either way, Pyrrha's right on the money.

I'll take your look of awe and admiration as confirmation." Ren whispers. "Congrats, Yang. You and Blake were practically made for each other. I'm sure she'll accept your gifts with a smile."

"Yeah, well . . . I didn't go small on them." I say more to myself than to the other four in the room. "Anyway, I need to find a way to give these to her."

"Oh . . . you need to find a special way to give Blake your gift." Ren starts to say before looking over his shoulder towards Pyrrha.

"Well . . . there is only one person fit for that role." Jaune continues, then also diverts his eyes to Pyrrha.

"True . . . I'm sure she'll be more than willing to help." Pyrrha adds, then turns her eyes back at me, or at least I think she's looking at me until one more voice speaks up.

"Gift giving? Leave it all to me."

Of all times . . . my fate now falls into the hands of Nora.

"All of you . . . are going to trust this to Nora? The Crazy Queen Nora?" I ask with hopes of this being a cruel joke.

"Hey, my gift giving skills are Renpai approved." Nora rebuts.

"Wait, 'Renpai'?" My eye shift slowly towards Ren who stares in return.

"I do approve of her gift giving abilities. She's talented when it comes to bringing a smile to others." Ren reinforces, but I'm sure he knows that I was staring because of something else, not to hear his confirmation of Nora's abilities.

"So . . ." I take a deep breath and gaze around the room, "You guys are positively sure that Nora knows what she's doing?"

From the other three members I'm met with smiles and nods. When I turn around to face Nora, she's holding her hands behind her back with her usual, cheerful smile worn across her face.

"Alright, Nora. Show me what you got."

At my acceptance of her help she launches herself onto her bed, landing directly in the middle with her legs crossed and her palms planted on her lap. She reaches forward with her right hand and starts to pat the spot in front of her while looking at me.

"Step into my office, Yang."

I give one final look at the other three, then make my way towards Nora's bed with both boxes in hand. I place them carefully at her side, then sit myself down in front of her, mirroring her posture.

"So, what does Blake like? She likes books, she likes ummm . . . quiet stuff, and obviously she likes you. Not a lot for me to work with, soooooooo . . . time for you to tell me every detail you got." Nora smirks.

"I think I'll prepare you both some tea. Sounds like this conversation is going to take a while." Ren announces before excusing himself from the room.

"What do you mean by _**every**_ detail?" I ask, not wanting to throw out a little too much information.

"Well, does she like catnip? Does she like to drink? What's her favorite food? What's her favorite book? What's her favorite color? I need to know if you want me to help. Every person is different, but everyone likes gifts. Some may want it done in private, others may want it done in the open. The most important thing isn't the setup. The setup is probably like . . . third on the list. The first thing is right here." Nora says and pokes me pretty hard over my heart. "If you don't give everything from the heart . . . then why bother giving a gift, y'know?"

"Nora's right, Yang. You should see the gifts she gave Jaune, Ren, and I. She's truly a considerate gifter." Pyrrha calls out to us while Jaune nods his head in affirmation.

"That's what I do! Just in case you're wondering, number two on the list is the delivery. How you give it is super duper important. It took me sooooo long to realize how I should give Jaune his."

"It came down to her making me give it to Jaune, instead." Pyrrha explains with a chuckle.

"So, what did she get you, Jaune?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Oh," Jaune starts in mild surprise, "she got me a picture frame."

Jaune reaches towards a nearby nightstand to pick up a pretty advanced picture frame. From what I can tell it looks completely electronic and has a somewhat holographic screen just like our scrolls. He stands up to bring it towards me, letting me have a much closer look at Nora's gift to him.

"The bottom of it has this thing that keeps it floating Plus, well . . . I can program what pictures I want to put in it with my scroll. Nora took my scroll when I wasn't looking and added all of my family photos into it. She even captioned all of the solo shots of my sisters. I only told her my sister' names once or so, but she got every name right . . . Nora's pretty hyper, but she has the best ears, and the biggest heart."

"Come on, Jaune! It wasn't _**that**_ big a deal. Your sisters sound super fun. I can't wait to meet them sometime!" Nora smiles at Jaune while I take the picture frame and look at the images as they appear. I remember Jaune saying he had seven sisters, but I don't even recall one name, let alone seven.

"Well, shit . . ." I mumble under my breath and hand Jaune back is picture frame. "Alright, Nora . . . where do I start?"

"Let's start with how much you two have done. Spare no details!" Nora announces with a smirk.

"Yeah . . . Jaune may need to step outside for this one."


	26. When The Yang's Away, the Cat's Not Okay

_**Here's chapter 26. I have yet again managed to type with a raging gamer nearby. Yes, it's the same one that played Destiny so very long ago! Although this time, the game was Battlefield 1.  
**_

 _ **As always, please leave a review, some feedback is always appreciated, it helps me write the next chapter. The more reviews I get, the faster I start pumping out these chapters!**_

 _ **Anyway, here's Chapter 26, and it's another minor back-track chapter. I think I'm starting to get my handle on these things again. Let's see how this piece of fun turns out!**_

* * *

 _ **POV: THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE**_

 _ **Chapter 26 - When The Yang's Away, The Cat's Not Okay**_

* * *

"And with that final elimination, Team JNPR advances on to the single bracket!" Port announces after Nora and Pyrrha make short work of their opponents.

"That was a pretty good match, wasn't it?" I turn my head to Ruby, only to find the crimsonette is answering a message from her scroll. If I had to guess, it could only be Weiss. I think Weiss is pretty much the only person that could take Ruby's attention away from her other friends.

Honestly, that's how it should be in my eyes. Weiss knows she has that capability, but she makes sure not to abuse it. If anything, both of them do their best to make sure they socialize with our friends.

"Sorry. Weiss texted me. I saw it, though! Pyrrha launched Nora into the air with her shield, and Nora used Magnild's grenade launcher at the peak of her jump to make a huge explosion. I'm surprised Pyrrha didn't get hurt by that."

"Since their opponents aren't from Beacon, they don't know that Nora's grenades launch in a heart shape. Pyrrha made sure she was in the explosion's blind spot in the center so she wouldn't take any splash damage." I explain to her.

"Smart. It's a good thing Pyrrha knows how Magnild works." Ruby smiles.

"Well, even if Pyrrha would've been in a bad spot, she could always use her semblance to change the trajectory of Nora's grenades. Either way, once Nora was airborne it was over. So, what did Weiss want?" I decide to change the topic towards something Ruby will show just slightly more interest in.

"Oh, she was just making sure I was alright . . . and asked me something weird." Ruby admits, piquing my interest now.

"What did she ask?" The two of us turn around to make our way up the stairs to begin working our way out of the Coliseum.

"If I'd like a queen-sized bed."

"Oh? Does that mean Weiss is getting a new bed for the two of you? That's a bold move." I tease "Besides, didn't we do the whole bunk bed thing because we didn't have room for twin beds?"

"Well, we didn't have room to give everyone their own bit of space . . . Since well . . . me and Weiss are a thing now . . . We can share space? I think? Am I explaining this right?"

"You are . . .Weiss doesn't have a personal space bubble with you around. I wonder how Yang is going to take the news." I start to say, then immediately resolve the issue in my head. "I'll break the news to her. I may need to sleep with her for a couple of days straight, but she doesn't snore too much, at least."

"Thanks, Blake. You're a real lifesaver." Ruby lets out a sigh of relief.

With the conclusion of Team JNPR's match, many of the Vale residents begin making their exit since that is the last Vale team having their match for the day. Under that realization, I figure that we may not have the quickest trip back to Beacon since all of the airships are going to be crowded. The last thing I want is to be crushed against the glass just to get to the dorm room fifteen minutes faster.

"Not a problem. I think we should just camp out near the docking station for now. It's probably going to be a little too crowded for us to get on the first airship." I explain, looking at the massive flow of people that are making their exit from the Coliseum, only to either swarm the fairgrounds or to make their way towards the same destination as us.

"Sounds like a plan."

The two of us follow the path towards the docking station. It's pretty similar to how Beacon's is, but instead of a walkway that eventually leads between pillars, this one has trees on either side of the path to add a wilderness touch to the area.

As we near the docking station, we go to sit down at the last tree along the left side of the walkway. I'm the one to sit down first, carefully placing my back against the bark of the tree while Ruby takes the chance to sit down next to me and get comfortable.

The small crimsonette turns her back towards me and lays back, letting her head rest on my lap while we both kill time until the crowd starts to die down. Ruby immediately goes back to texting Weiss with her usual smile plastering her face. I decide to try my luck in messaging Yang, but after I start off by sending the cliched 'Hey' without any response for over two minutes, I assume she's busy with something else and make use of my scroll to surf the web.

From my several bookmarks of manga to a couple of urgent update News report websites, I find nothing that piques my interest at the moment. To keep myself from complete boredom, I decide to message Pyrrha to see how she's doing after her and Nora's match.

 _ **Me:**_ _Hey, Pyrrha. Good match. How're you and Nora taking the win?_

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _It wasn't too stressing on us. Nora seemed to burn all of her energy, though. She's nice and quiet for the time being._

 _ **Me:**_ _Let's hope it lasts._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _It won't, I can assure you. Is Yang with you?_

 _Yang's nowhere in sight? She doesn't have her scroll, either?_

 _ **Me:**_ _She's not in the room with Weiss? Wait, are you at your room already?_

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Nora and I took the first airship out, I've had enough of the Fairgrounds for the time being. Especially after last night._

 _ **Me:**_ _What happened last night? I haven't heard much._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Oh, Weiss, Ruby, Coco, Velvet, and my team went to The Fairgrounds together to enjoy a meal. It was nice to spend time with everyone. Well, almost everyone. How about you, Yang, Jaune and I take a lunch out together sometime?_

 _ **Me:**_ _Not sure our blondies can handle being out in public with us._

I smile as Pyrrha starts to respond to my message, but my attention gets pulled towards a specific assortment of orange and black that trails down the walkway towards the docking station. I lift my head from the scroll to look at the moving figure that's constantly cloaked by the crowd of people walking back and forth until a brief opening gives me a clear view to confirm my suspicions.

 _What's Shun doing without Qrow or Winter?_

I continue to watch her move towards the docking station. She doesn't turn her head, she doesn't deviate in the slightest from her path. She seems to be all business at the moment, which is far from her normal attitude. As I follow her with my eyes through sea of people, eventually she gets to a less occupied area in my field of view, giving me vision of two others she appears to be walking with.

One of them is a short girl with dark skin and mint-green hair, but the other person makes my stomach start to churn at the mere sight of him. Her other company is the same silver-haired Haven student I dealt with yesterday at the fairgrounds.

 _Don't tell me she knows him . . . I've had enough of his bullshit._

I quickly lower my head to look back at my scroll, trying to forget and ignore the presence roughly fifty meters away from me.

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Well Jaune's certainly easier to fluster than Yang._

 _ **Me:**_ _Really? With how confident he used to act with Weiss, I was expecting him to be more composed. Especially since he had the guts to wear a dress to the dance._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Perhaps. He's exceptionally sweet, though._

 _ **Me:**_ _He seems like the charming type. Just try to make an honest woman out of him._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Lol. I certainly will!_

My conversation with Pyrrha certainly helps me calm down. We start changing our conversation to how my night with Yang went while she tells me of the hectic night on the fairgrounds that inevitably lead to her and Jaune's first kiss.

 _ **Me:**_ _So Coco got everyone to start shouting, and you two gave in to that?_

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Well, don't point it out to anyone, but our lips never made contact. We made a quick motion and pulled back to fake the scene. Jaune and I agreed that our first kiss shouldn't be in that sort of environment, but we didn't want to disappoint. Especially since Coco seemed adamant on continuing the chant until something happened. This is our little secret :)_

 _ **Me:**_ _Smart move. Yang and I had one of our longer kisses at the dance, but that was our second._

At the mention of our kiss, I think back to the first time Yang and I kissed. I still remember the shivers, the way she moved her tongue, and the warmth she offered within our embrace. I'm glad it's a memory that's burned into my mind. When I snap out of my trance and look back down at my scroll, my face turns a dark shade of red upon seeing Pyrrha's next message.

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _Well, if you wouldn't mind sharing. How does the first one feel? How did yours go at least?_

I sigh, trying to think of a way to put it into words. I'm sure it differs for everyone, but I think my kiss with Yang was everything I could have asked for and more. It was sensual, patient, romantic, spine-chilling, although I could've gone without the ear torture (not saying it was a bad thing.)

 _ **Me:**_ _It's something you need to let happen. You can't just expect it to be perfect with your effort alone. It's the first kiss when you feel on top of the world, but you also are at your most vulnerable. There are so many new emotions, and all of them come crashing down at once. With Yang I almost went on autopilot for most of it._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _You have my attention. What did you do exactly?_

 _ **Me:**_ _Yang kind of wanted milk at the time. I chugged the rest and gave her the empty cup._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _That doesn't seem very romantic._

 _ **Me:**_ _Well, when she tried to get up and get her own cup, I turned around and kissed her . . . I never swallowed._

 _ **Pyrrha:**_ _So your first kiss had milk involved? Forgive me for saying, but that's as close to the stereotype as can be._

Upon reading her message I burst out into laughter. I'm quick to place a hand over my lips to muffle myself while I try to regain control. The loud, sudden outburst is enough to make Ruby jump up, leaving the comfort of my lap pillow to see if everything is okay.

"Blake?" the crimsonette asks after she's shifted to a knee.

"I'm fine, just messaging Pyrrha. She has her occasional jokes." I explain. "Is it just me, or does everyone have a different persona when they text?"

"Not just you. Weiss is way more lovey dovey over the scroll! I love it." Ruby says and turns her scroll to expose part of their conversation.

 _ **Princess:**_ _When are you two getting back? I miss you._

 _ **Me**_ _: We'll be there soon, Princess! Just waiting for the docking station to empty out a bit._

 _ **Princess:**_ _Just use the scroll and call for a private airship. It's much easier than waiting._

 _ **Me:**_ _Aww, you miss me that much 3?_

 _ **Princess:**_ _Obviously. Just hurry and get here safely._

 _ **Princess:**_ _I'm getting lonely._

Out of that entire conversation, what I cling onto is the fact that Weiss says she's getting lonely. I'm sure Weiss is more inclined to complain about Yang instead of saying she's lonely, which makes me wonder where the Blonde Brawler could be.

"Say, could you ask Weiss where Yang is?" I ask of her.

"Oh, I asked her earlier. Yang wanted to go for a walk or something. She should be back by the time we get there. Maybe." Ruby rushes to answer.

"A walk? Didn't her and Weiss have to talk about something?"

"She walked after?" Ruby shrugs her shoulders and goes back to messaging her girlfriend.

 _So Pyrrha doesn't know where Yang is and neither does Weiss?_

I sigh, taking the chance to search for Yang in my contacts so I can try getting through to her again, although this time I make my message sound a little more urgent to coax out a reply when she sees it.

 _ **Me:**_ _Yang? Message me, it's important._

Of course it's not a complete lie; knowing where she is will always be important. Her safety is one of my main concerns. Who knows what kind of stupid things she could get into. The worst of it is I know how capable she is of getting caught in stupid situations, which is why I'm starting to worry.

"I think there should be enough room on the next airship. How about we try catching it?"

"Really? There's still a bit of a crowd. Are you getting cold?" Ruby asks, seeing through my change of heart flawlessly.

"A bit," I lie, "I just want to get back to our room so I can have Yang warm me up."

The last part of my sentence slips out on its own, but Ruby doesn't pay any mind to it and stands up.

"Alright, let's get you to Yang." She says with a smile "If I wanted to hurry up and get to Weiss, I'd expect you to help a little bit too."

I shift to my feet and follow Ruby onto the pathway to head towards the docking station. Thankfully, a lot of the people there decide to not get on the next airship, leaving a decent amount of wiggle room that's much more than manageable for the short flight to Beacon. While there's still plenty of room, Ruby and I are still forced to press against each other somewhat to remain comfortable.

The ten minute flight is nothing too unbearable, but upon landing I'm more than appreciative to get off of the airship and take a deep breath of fresh air. I have the thought of rushing straight to the room, but make sure I wait for Ruby to catch up to me before I start walking towards the courtyard of Beacon, trailing off onto the grass after I spot the familiar tree that hovers near our room's window.

"Blake?" Ruby calls out when she sees me trailing off the stone path.

"Taking a shortcut, Ruby. You're welcome to follow." I say to her before I gesture up to our dorm room window. However, as I reach the base of the tree I take notice of a large mattress leaning against the trunk along with several pieces of splintered wood. By the color of the sheets and the shredded ropes attached to it, I assume that it has to be Ruby's bed. "Well, this can't be good."

"Wait, is that my bed?"

As Ruby observes the crime scene, I start to climb the tree to work my way towards the open window. I wonder what could have happened between Weiss and Yang that could have resulted in Ruby's bed being thrown out of the room. Once I'm high enough along the tree, I jump off of a solid branch to land on the windowsill before dive-rolling into the room to avoid stepping on the dresser inside. Upon my landing, Weiss is the one to make herself known with a startled sound on my cat burglar-like entry.

"Blake? Why can't you use the door like normal people?" The heiress rolls her eyes.

She's currently seated on her bed, and based on my assumption from outside, it is Ruby's bed that's missing from above the heiress' head. I suppose that story will come out on its own, but for the time being I have something with a little more priority on my mind.

"So, where's Yang? Nobody's seen her and she hasn't answered her scroll." I state while I take my scroll out and make another attempt at contacting her. "It's not like her to disappear without telling at least one person."

"She told me she was going for a walk. She didn't say for how long or where she planned on going. She'll be back when she wants to, Yang's a big girl." Weiss says with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, like you wouldn't be worried if Ruby went quiet for a couple of hours without warning. ' **Where's that Dolt? She has me worried sick.** '" I spit in return, feigning a dramatic tone of voice.

"That's different! Ruby may be our team leader, but she's still reckless-" Weiss starts before I cut in.

"Just like Yang; They're sisters!" I bite back with little amusement on my face. "Weiss, one of _**our**_ teammates is missing and you don't seem too concerned at all. Either you know where she is or something's up."

"I don't keep tabs on that Barbarian. If she wants to walk around on her own accord, I'm not going to stop her. She is _**not**_ my responsibility." Weiss bites back.

Before I can retaliate, I hear the loud clang of metal echoing off of each other. Weiss and I exchanging stares for a brief moment, then make our way towards the window to investigate what the loud sound was.

Upon reaching the window, we can see Ruby standing on the tree where the main trunk splits into two, giving her a clear view of what appears to be a high-speed fight happening off in the distance. At first glance I expect it to be Yang, but a closer inspection reveals Winter locking swords with the familiar bladed heel of the flirtatious Cheetah Faunus.

"Why is my sister fighting with that ferocious feline?" Weiss questions, but before I get a chance to respond we're interrupted yet again.

This time the sound of a body flying into a wall comes from near the doorway, soon followed by the frantic cries of Jaune and Ren from their attempts to stop whatever is happening. Through it all I pick up on are the laughs of Nora, the apologetic 'sorries' of Pyrrha and to top it off, the loudest of them all sounds like an angry Yang in pursuit of Nora for some reason.

"You can find that out . . . I need to see why Yang is trying to kill Nora." I sigh, leaving Weiss to her predicament while I go to take care of my own.


	27. Tell Me How You Really Feel Pt 1

_Yeah, yeah. It's been a while. Been streaming For Honor (Closed and Open Betas) . . . if you followed me on Twitch you'd know that. (Salt).  
_

 _So, here's chapter 27. The POV is obvious after like . . . 4 paragraphs in. Can't, won't, and shouldn't force you to read it, so that's all up to you, but you'll be missing out on plot . . . because I always have plot buried in each chapter._

 _Feedback received recently: None. All good, though. Just means I can do whatever until someone complains._

 _And uhhh, no, part 2 won't be involving these 2. I just think the chapter title would fit well for the next chapter too, so I did the "part 1' thing to recycle the title._

 _Sue me._

 _I guess that's it. Nothing I gotta comment on, nothing to comment on._

 _Enjoy, ghost readers._

* * *

 _ **POV: SASHA**_

 _ **Chapter 27 - Tell Me How You Really Feel**_

 _ **Pt. 1**_

* * *

"It was nice seeing you again . . . _**Sasha**_."

The mere sound of that name makes me cringe. It's probably been around four years since that name was used. I don't want it making a reappearance. Not now, not ever.

"Go fuck yourself, Mercury." I scowl in return.

We've just gotten off the airship at Beacon after a small walk and talk inside the Coliseum. For as long as I was in the White Fang and seen Mercury those very few times, I knew from the very start that I wouldn't like him. My intuition has not proven me wrong as of yet, and I doubt it will anytime soon. He's sarcastic, he's an asshole, and he thinks every girl in the neighborhood wants him.

If there's one thing I could say I don't detest about him, it's his fighting ability. He talks a lot of crap and annoys the fuck out of me, but I'll be the biggest liar if I said he didn't back up his shit-talk with his kicks. I remember trying to kick-check him once, and it nearly broke my leg in two. It was like trying to block steel.

"I already took care of that this morning, _**Sasha**_ . . . I'll see you around." He taunts once more before walking away with silent pickpocket trailing him. I never did learn her name . . . She's always been quiet and kept to herself. I wonder if she's shy or something.

 _Those two being here are no good . . . Both of 'em are crooked enough to bend a straitjacket._

I keep an eye on the two of them, waiting for them to leave my sights completely before letting out a long, drawn-out sigh of relief. To add to my relief, I catch sight of the elder Schnee sister walking my way after leaving the dormitory that houses Team RWBY. I start walking towards her to meet her halfway, but she begins to stray off of the stone path and into the empty plot of grass.

Naturally, I adjust my course to meet up with her at some point, which happens after she's reached the very center of the small grassland, leaving me wondering what is out here that made her change directions randomly.

"It's a nice picnic spot, but I didn't bring a basket." I kid, but as always she finds no humor in my words.

"If by 'picnic' you mean 'spar' and by 'basket' you mean 'weapon', then you are correct and incorrect. This is a nice sparring area, but you **are** wearing your weapon as far as I can see." She answers in that natural stuck-up way of hers. I've slowly grown to accept that she's just overly blunt, lacks a sense of humor, doesn't know when to be a little kinder with her words, and refuses to admit that she's at the very least bi-curious. Quite a few flaws, but I think I can at least fix one of them.

"If it's just a spar, sure. How long are we going for?" I ask and lower to a crouch. As our conversation carries on, I take the time to stretch everything with a primary focus on my legs, and the secondary focus on my core/torso. I always stretch my arms too, but as biased as I am when it comes to my legs, I spend about double the time and effort on them.

"Until one of us lands something disorienting." Winters announces. At the same time I see her draw her weapon, but instead of attacking me she starts to observe her equipment. "I know every vital area on the human body. I won't hit anything that could cause permanent harm."

". . . But I'm a faunus." I correct, earning an annoyed look from the Atlesian Specialist.

"So I need to account for what else? Your ears?" She says to humor my comment.

"Well, there's that, my rack is above average, so is my behind . . .and ummm . . . don't cut my hair; it's short enough as is." I joke and brush a hand through my bangs for emphasis which gives Winter a brief look at my other eye before my bangs drop back into place.

"Do you ever find time to _**not**_ talk about yourself or flirt?" She sighs and splits her weapons into two, analyzing both of her blades.

"Well, if you would tell me more about yourself then I think I wouldn't have to talk about me so much." I counter. I move back to my feet, then proceed to lean down and touch my toes to help stretch out my lower back. "Besides, my life isn't that boring, is it?"

"You mean Yang Xiao Long's life isn't that boring." Her statement makes me lift my head in a violent motion that sends my bangs flying out of place while I look at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," she starts off, finalizing the observation of her weapon before uniting the two blades back into one. "Almost all of your stories revolve around her. I believe there's only one story you've told where it didn't involve her." Winter remarks with a grin on her face.

"Well excuse me for having someone I shared some important moments with. Do you have anything to match it?" I growl, realizing the back-end of that comment after the words have already left my mouth.

"No, but at least I am not dwelling on what was lost and shall not return." She says with the same grin as earlier which manages to infuriate me more than I thought was possible.

"Take that back. Take it back now." I threaten while cracking my fingers. I watch as the Elder Schnee takes a half-step backwards and readies herself without a single change in her expression or gaze.

"The chances of me taking back something I've said are zero-to-none. I implore you to give me a reason to take it back . . . Unless you're a scared cat."

I don't need any other reason than her taunts to launch myself at her. My first step is followed by a short hop that gives me a five-foot leap while my momentum carries me towards her. To my surprise she makes no attempt to move out the way while I tense my mid-section and make my first somersault to open things up with a swift version of my strongest kick - although I choose to use my right leg this time around.

Through the entire kick I don't see her make a move to dodge or block. Instead, I can feel my heel hit home with enough force to fracture a skull, causing an excess amount of dirt to explode into the air, leaving me and Winter inside a small dust storm. The momentum of my leg leaves my heel buried into the ground, forcing me to adopt a crouching position on landing while I try to tug my foot free.

"That's quite the kick. How long did you need to train your legs and flexibility for that?"

I lift my head to see Winter standing in the same spot as earlier, but this time I notice a small glyph above her head with a slant to it. If I had to guess, she must've formed the glyph at an angle that'll let my foot slide off to the left, leaving her standing slightly to my right in the exact same position as before.

I forgot just how annoying that semblance can be. Thinking on the fact that this is the older sister, I can expect some more creative uses, and a couple more variations of it.

"All of my life!" I shout. I plant both of my hands into the ground. Instead of trying to tug my heel out of the dirt, I start to twist it, giving me enough of a pivot to attempt a slow, clockwise sweep of her legs. This time around I keep my eyes on her legs the entire time, making sure I hit the mark without any of her glyphs appearing to block my strike last second.

To my surprise I'm able to connect with both of her calves, even forcing her legs off of the ground for a successful trip. I lift my gaze to watch her form fall to the grass to join me, but the moment she drops far enough, she forms a glyph that acts as a seat for her. Her glyph is even the perfect height for her feet to just barely touch the floor.

 _This taunting little- . . . FUCK THIS._

Without thinking of anything but putting the elder Schnee sister into the dirt, I throw my heel straight up to her glyph, but this time I flex my ankle and toes in a very specific way to force the blade within the heel to extend. The blade on my right heel is superior to armor, but the blade on my left heel is designed to cut through all forms of aura.

For the third time since we started, I'm stopped with a basic countermeasure. Instead of being able to connect with the glyph she's sitting on, she forms another glyph near my calf that locks my leg in place, pausing all attempts I make to move. With one heel stick in the dirt, the other leg immobilized by her glyph, and to top it off I'm in a position that is extremely difficult to move in, even with my flexibility.

"I know about your weapons. Although the fact that they lack any form of projectile threat makes it simple to deal with." Winter says to me without moving from her seated position. "Have you calmed down, yet?"

"I am calm you son of a-!" Before I can finish my sentence, her blade is at my neck. From my position I can't see her eyes at all since I am to her right and her bangs cover the right side of her face. The fact that her weapon placement is that accurate without her even looking my way is kind of intimidating in itself.

 _Is this the level of a real Huntress?_

"I will have you know that I am, in fact, a woman . . . that title does not apply to me." She turns her head to stare at me with her left eye, "And based off of that outbreak, it's clear that you are not calm. You let me get inside your head before our battle even begun. You went in without thought and lost . . . You're at your most vulnerable when you give in to your emotions. Now . . . are you going to calm down and find your way out of this situation, or will you continue to remain on your knee looking like a Schnee's pet? It seems we have an audience, too."

Just as she finishes her sentence she crosses her left leg over her right. To enforce her statement, she turns her head, leading me to follow her gaze to a small group of onlookers, probably wondering what is going on.

 _What the fuck is her problem? First she's a bitch, then she somewhat warms up, now she's an ice cold bitchier bitch that continues to bitch. Alright . . .let's not get too crazy. Deep breath, figure out how to destroy her glyphs, then I can get out of here and kick her ass._

I start to flex my right leg, learning rather quickly that my ankle is the only thing that has a full range of motion, although since her glyph is holding my calf, I can curl my leg to give more room to my left leg to assist in getting it out of the dirt.

With my left leg freed and my right leg's motion limited, I start to look around for some form of escape plan, but the only one I can think of is the last one I should be using.

 _He'll kill me if he finds out . . . but it's better than staying in this position for long_

"Say, what's your deal with this anyway. I thought we were at least gettin' to acquaintances." I growl, making her turn towards me once more and make eye contact From this position I swing my head, moving my bangs away from my left eye just long enough to get her to see the shift in color.

"I was told your feelings are portrayed through your feet . . . I assume that means through a spar with you. I'm curious to learn how you really feel about me, nothing more." She responds, then adds after a short delay. "I know too little about you to consider you an acquaintance."

On cue, I see her place a hand on her head and start to sway. With my semblance making its effects known, I wait for her to say forward far enough to where I know with confidence I can throw my left leg up and hit her square in the forehead. The moment I throw my leg out, she has enough awareness to raise her forearm to block the blow, but there's still enough power to send her a couple of feet away, and at the same time breaking the two glyphs she had formed.

"Well, now you know what my semblance can do." I say while I move to my feet and allow my eyes to change back to their original color. "Let's dance, Ice Queen."

"Interesting. I suppose this'll be a good enough handicap." With no signs of being off-balance thanks to my semblance she lunges at me with the assistance of a glyph. On instinct I raise my left leg to intercept her, but just before she's close enough to kick at, she forms a glyph to her left, letting her kick off of it to alter her trajectory just enough to move towards my side instead of directly at me. Just as she passes by me I see another glyph getting formed, this one to change her direction yet again, but this time to come directly at me from behind.

While I can see everything happening, her last-second movements limit my reaction time. Instead of being able to turn and strike, I'm forced to jump into the air to avoid her blade. Out of desperation and surprise at how quick she is in comparison to her sister, I find myself going much higher than I initially wanted, and in turn she opts to follow me.

I'm not a complete idiot, at least not enough of an idiot to see when I'm at a complete disadvantage. Being in the air without anything to kick off of leaves me an easy target. I become an even easier target when the fact that she can move in any direction at will thanks to her glyphs. All taken into account, I need to get to the ground as quickly as possible, otherwise it's a lost fight.

The problem now is lasting long enough to hit the ground. I never thought there would be a day where I'm convinced I need to 'survive' for a certain amount of time instead of simply crush my opponent with a couple of solid kicks. Not even my semblance has an effect on her for some reason.

"Alright . . ." I say to no one in particular. Below me is the rapidly advancing Schnee with her blade still in its unified form. It's not difficult for me to parry her strikes, but after each of her attacks she forms a glyph below her to continue lunging towards me.

It's not until I deflect her third strike that I realize her true intention: to get me as far away from the ground as possible. With each attack I parry, the momentum of her strike sends me just a little bit higher into the air. To play her game I wait for her next attack to come in, but instead of blocking it, I catch it with both of my blades, then reach down to grab her wrist.

From there I pull her wrist in one direction, then kick her blade in the other to force it from her hand. Without her ability to keep forcing me into the air I begin to barrage her with kicks to her midsection during our entire descent. After a couple of solid connections she starts to fall faster than I am, giving me room to begin my somersaults to build up enough momentum for my finishing strike.

 _This is too easy . . . Something's up._

Despite my doubts, I continue to flip, gaining more and more momentum until I'm certain the ground is close. On the next flip I extend my left leg, expecting to land a solid axe kick to her stomach, but for the second time today the kick is dodged, although this time I can't see where she went at all.

Although, her disappearance becomes the least of my problems when I hear, feel, and see the destruction my landing caused. A good ten meter radius around me is all destroyed dirt, leaving me crouching in the center while dirt sprinkles through the air along with shreds of grass.

"That semblance of yours is nothing to take lightly . . . I was seeing double almost half of our fight." I hear her speak from behind me. When I make an attempt to turn my head, the flat end of her blade is immediately pressed to my cheek. "Not this time . . . Eyes forward."

"Of course, if I would've summoned, you would have lost immediately. From what I hear and saw, you have a very unhealthy fear of Grimm . . . I believe I'll be the one claiming this victory." She declares and moves her blade away.

"If you've been through the crap I have, you'd be scared of the damn things, too!" I retort and move to my feet. In the back of my mind I can't help but continue to wonder how was she able to evade it. She didn't have a glyph anywhere from what I saw, and I'm guessing my semblance was what kept her off guard during my barrage of kicks while we were falling.

"Well I don't know about your past . . . or your present for that matter. Since you've been so adamant on pursuing me, I decided to at least check if you have a criminal record, but to my surprise, your name doesn't even exist within the system." I start to peek over my shoulder again, this time she sheathes her weapon and lets me turn around. "But, I suppose everyone has their secrets . . . Don't expect me to accept any of your advances until I know more about you, however."

 _Wait, so is she saying?_

"So . . . I open up, you open up? A little slack for the rope?" I ask with a poor metaphor to follow.

"I wouldn't go that far . . . Now, I need to make a report to Ironwood, you're welcomed to accompany me . . . Kitten." The moment she finishes her sentence she turns away from me and begins to casually walk away with her arms folded.

I'm left in place, digesting her words and trying to rephrase them into something I can interpret better.

 _Did she just call me . . ? Wait, is she actually inviting me with her? Does that mean that I'm in the doorway?_

"I'm not waiting for you." She calls back to me after she's roughly fifty feet away.

"You ain't gotta wait!" I shout back and enter a swift jog to catch up to her. As I catch up I move in front of her and turn around to match her pace while going backwards. I hold both of my arms behind my back, cracking my shoulders and a portion of my upper back when I attempt to straighten my arms out. "So, are you gonna admit it?"

"Admit what?" She raises a brow at me while she continues to walk. "Two steps left."

My ears perk to her words, and while I continue to backtrack I take two steps diagonally to the left, somewhat surprised when I see that her instructions helped me dodge a pillar.

"That you're totally into me. Come on, just admit it. At least a little bit . . . I won't bother you about it for the rest of the day." I attempt to bribe her, even leaning forward to peek under her bangs while I continue to back track.

"Why would I ever admit to something that isn't true? I'm simply tolerating your presence and accepting the fact that you're hyper, and overly playful, hence your new nickname." She stares blankly ahead of her, avoiding any form of eye contact with me while she focuses on our pathing. "Three steps right, turn right."

Her instructions guide me into a small underpass from one of the dormitories, and the turn changes our direction to guide us straight towards the Tower I was forced to wait downstairs at. Hopefully I can go upstairs this time around, I hate waiting outside.

"Come on! Just admit it a little bit! I'll buy you a drink? I have a couple of lien saved up; bottle of wine on me?" I continue to prod.

"I do not need your lien, and I do not need you over analyzing a simple, kind gesture on my part. Now if you would just-"

She stops mid-sentence and at the same time I feel my back hit a wall. I attempt to look behind me to see what I hit, but the force from the wall propels me forward and into Winter's right arm. She keeps my momentum moving and twirls me back to my feet, ending with her hand on my back to assure I'm upright before removing her hand completely. The wall I hit was actually her glyph, and the hazard that my ears didn't pick up due to my focus on the conversation was a stampeding Yang chasing after the hyper hammer-wielder with the rest of the the girl's team chasing behind along with Belladonna and Weiss.

"Um . . . did we miss something important?" I ask to Winter, but since she's to my left it's difficult to see her without turning my head thanks to my bangs.

"It would seem so. Xiao Long was perfectly fine no more than half an hour ago when I spoke with her." Winter answers, although that sparks a new question in me.

"What were you talking with Sunflower about?"

"Classified."

"Right . . . good talk." I sigh. While everyone continues running, Weiss spots the two of us and chooses to abandon the chase for the time being, instead choosing to come over to me and Winter to hopefully fill us in on what's going on.

"So . . . why is Xiao Long on a rampaging chase?" Winter decides to ask before Weiss can even say hello.

"It's a long story . . . Shun, you think you could catch up to her before she catches Nora?" Weiss asks while looking towards the distancing chase.

"Think? I'll be right back." I say with confidence while I take my first step. Suddenly, a random grip on my shoulder tugs me back, stopping me from joining the chase. When I look over my shoulder I'm surprised to see that it's Winter's hand that's holding me back.

"She can't go. She needs to accompany me to Ozpin's office." Winter answers to Weiss without letting go of me.

"I don't _**need**_ to anything. You asked me if-"

"It wasn't an offer. You _**will**_ be accompanying me to Ozpin's office. Am I clear?"

For a moment the two of us lock stares. Her left eye refuses to waiver from the stare given off of my right eye. As tempted as I am to use my semblance, I refrain all urges and simply submit to a basic staredown that neither of us choose to break.

"I see . . ." Weiss finally says during the awkward silence from our visual battle. "I'll be on my way then."

As tempted as I am to check on how far Weiss is getting from us, I decide to use my ears to judge her distance, and once I deem her far enough I finally speak up on the matter at hand.

"So, what's the big idea? You went Grade-A A-Hole in the blink of an eye." I question, subconsciously keeping our staredown intact.

"I don't need to explain myself to you." Without any more explanation she nudges me in the direction of Ozpin's tower and we continue our walk.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd compare you to a jealous and possessive chick." I joke.

"That is an unacceptable comparison."

"So, back to my earlier question: Why were you talking to Sunflower?" I turn myself back around, backtracking in front of Winter while we remain on the stone path

"Must you constantly mention your ex? How about a question regarding myself?" She scoffs and begins to speed walk by me. In order for me to keep up with her, I turn myself back around to jog in front of her once more, then resume jogging backwards.

 _What's her problem?_

"So . . . how're you feeling?" I decide to ask in an attempt to break the ice while also taking her advice.

"Classified."

"Tell me how you really feel." I sigh, "Yeah . . . good talk." I spin myself around and keep myself ahead of Winter, finding the situation of looking at her with nothing to talk about a complete waste of time.

"What are your hobbies? Aside from flirting."

The question makes me look over my right shoulder to verify that it's Winter talking to me.

"Me? I mean . . . I like to run . . . did track at Signal. I uhh like boxing and listening to music. Does that answer it?"

"It'll suffice."

While the two of us keep walking, Winter catches up to me on my left side. After a couple more seconds I can hear her clear her throat, then a second and third time. Each time she does so, she has her right hand formed into a fist near her mouth to block off any germs in that high-class way people are taught.

"You alright?" I turn my head, unable to see her thanks to my bangs. Instead of getting eye contact, which has been our only means of decent communication, I'm left with no view on her eyes thanks to her bangs going off to the right side of her face.

"Ahem . . . I asked you a question on your hobbies . . . you answered. Now what is the proper course of action?" Winter turns her head just enough to let me see her left eye. Along with the sight of her eye, I also get a small glimpse at the bridge of her nose, noticing it is slightly red, but I leave it to the fact that she may be coming down with a slight cold with how clogged up her throat seems to be.

"Um . . . Oh! I know this one. So, got any hobbies?" I ask after being baited into returning the question.

"Yes. How kind of you to ask." She elevates her voice, then moves both of her hands behind her back while she starts to talk. "I'm proficient at everything, but I have taken the liberty to learn how to go cook delicacies from the different Kingdoms. As an Atlesian Specialist, I don't always have access to my Schnee resources, so learning the fundamentals of the culinary arts was a must during my training."

"So you can cook? Well, if you ever have leftovers mind putting them in some tupperware?" I ask in an attempt to keep the conversation moving. Though the thought of her cooking is something that's pretty hard to believe. I'm kind of scared she's one of those stiffs that _**only**_ uses healthy things in their cooking. Which automatically translates to it tasting like complete _**shit.**_

"Leftovers? I'd sooner bend a knee to a criminal than let anything I've taken time to make go to waste." She scoffs.

"It ain't going to waste . . . I'll eat it." I answer back.

"My food is meant to be eaten on the spot, not to be warmed up some other time and lose its proper flavor." She defends.

"I'm not picky, and I'm not going to criticize your food if it gets slightly downgraded. I'm sure whatever you make will taste great. So, when am I getting a plate of leftovers?" I ask a second time, this time with a confident smile on my face.

"No."

"Huh?"

"I said, 'No'." Winter turns her head, glaring at me with hostility.

"What? Am I not worthy of a few table scraps?" I scowl and step in front of her to stop the two of us from proceeding any further until she answers my question.

"No, you aren't." She answers back matter-of-factly. "You're an annoying gamin and a miscreant, but if you are going to ever have my cooking, then it will be fresh."

"I'm not going all the way to Atlas just to get a meal! Hate to say this but- actually, I'd love to say this: You're father is a complete and total asshole to Faunus. I ain't stepping foot into that building with him there, and the guy lives in the place so that means _**never.**_ " I say without hesitation and very few pauses to breathe.

"I didn't expect you too. My sister owns a property in Vale. I'll simply fetch what I need and use that kitchen to cook. I'll send the directions to your scroll before the day is done and I'll expect to see you tonight at the time I designate." When she's done talking, she pushes me aside to continue walking, forcing me to jog to catch up.

"Dinner? Home cooked? Should I bring a Merlot? Chardonnay? Come on, help me out here! I don't spend much on myself anyway." I question her, but each word seems to make her walking pace increase. "Come on! At least tell me what to wear!"

"You're a big girl, wear whatever you deem acceptable." She shouts back to me.

"Are you gonna wear a dress!?" I shout to her while she starts to leave me behind.

"Classified."

". . . Of course it is."

* * *

 ** _Yes, Winter destroys Shun in a fight._**

 ** _Winter: Atlesian Specialist, Former Training, Advantageous Semblance, Tactical Mindset_**

 ** _Shun: Fast, lacks strategy-forming, Semblance has limited use, no ranged attacks, strength relies on immobilizing opponent first. Self-taught fighter._**


	28. The Gift of Giving a Gift-Giving Gift

_Yeah, yeah. Get mad at me over that POV all you want, I ain't changing it.  
_

 _So, it's been a fun, drama-filled break and work is as annoying as ever . . . Woohoo._

 _Here's the next chapter . . . it's super delayed, obviously. I'll try to get back into the motions, but feedback is probably the one thing that'll get me posting regularly. I say it all the time, but that's because it's the honest truth. I get motivation from reading feedback, whatever it may be._

 _Anyway, enjoy, leave a review. Blah blah blah._

 _Also, shoutout to Kiruya-chan and Powerhouse! Saw the vid, tank chu very much :D I ship it!  
_

* * *

 _ **POV: PYRRHA 'ASH' NIKOS**_

 _ **Chapter 28 - The Gift of Giving a Gift-Giving Gift.**_

It's just like her after all. She sees something that has a decent chance of success and immediately takes action. I guess she wouldn't be Nora if she didn't do things like this. What I think we're all worried about is what happens if Yang manages to catch her. Our chase has gone from Beacon, all the way into The Emerald Forest. If we continue at this pace we may end up near the ruins where we fought the Deathstalker and Nevermore. The strenuous pace that Nora and Yang have maintained decided who will follow and who will be left behind. Unfortunately, Jaune was the first to fall behind, and Ren soon after. Blake's taken to conserving her stamina by using her weapon to swing from tree to tree, leaving her means of travel a reliance on momentum. Ruby on the other hand has maintained a pace to match my own. I'm sure she could easily catch up to the two, but I can't help but wonder if that right cross from many months ago still lingers in the back of her mind. Yang may be even angrier than she was that day, meaning her punch will be much more severe.

"So why is Yang chasing Nora?" Ruby asks while we continue in pursuit of the flaming blonde and electric redhead.

"I think I should tell you another time." I answer Ruby and avert my eyes towards Blake who continues to swing above us while maneuvering from tree to tree.

This situation couldn't get any weirder, and on top of that I assume we're starting to get lost in this wild goose chase. The deeper we get into the Emerald Forest, the less likely we'll have connections to our scrolls. On top of that, if it gets too dark we may need to resort to camping out for the night. It's hardly a difficult task, but I'm sure all of us would prefer to lay in our respective beds considering there is a tournament in effect.

 _How far is Nora going to go before she decides to make her move?_

* * *

 _ **(FLASHBACK)**_

* * *

"You two _**did**_ have your first kiss at the dance. Why not take her into town and give her the gifts there? Somewhere semi-public where there's a good kind of . . . comfort-zone. Like an internet cafe!" Nora suggests as the thought comes to mind.

"Um, sounds cool and all but . . . Blake doesn't seem like a cafe person to me. She's quiet, pretty reserved and all of that obvious stuff. She wanted me to take her to my hangouts for once and enjoyed some music and dancing, but I learned she isn't too fond of loud noises . . . They kind of mess with her ears." Yang explains while placing her hands on the top of her head and raising her fingers to position them where Blake's ears would normally be.

Ren has already left the room to prepare some tea for us all. I suggested for Jaune to join him, whispering to him that it would make this conversation easier if there are only women present. As understanding as he is, he took his leave with Ren, leaving the room to Yang, Nora, and I.

"So what _**does**_ Blake like? Hm?" Nora asks and starts to raise her eyebrows in a such a blatantly suggestive manner that even I manage to pick up on her hints.

"W-what does that have to do with me giving these gifts to her!? Nora, you're just trying to perv out on us, I swear." Yang says and slams her fist on the mattress.

"Yang, just by your personality I can probably tell you how you are in bed." Nora says with a smile. "And it works the opposite way too. If I know how someone is in bed, I can tell what kind of person they are . . . That's kind of when you're at your most honest. Like this," Nora takes a deep breath and begins to explain in detail her perception of Yang.

"You're very confident, love to punch, and have a very protective attitude with people you care about. That must mean you take control in bed, can be a bit of a masochist or sadist, depending on the situation . . . and you are probably extremely reassuring and making sure Blake is 100% okie-dokie with whatever you want to do before you even consider the action. You're very talkative so I bet you use your tongue a lot. Don't worry, we're in the same boat there . . . fun times back home. Anyway, how close was I?"

"Um . . . too close for comfort." Yang admits, leaving Nora with a beaming smile.

"Exactly! So you ready to tell me Blake's secrets or not? I could probably tell you things about her that you don't even know yet." Nora's words obviously spark an interest in Yang. Being able to know more about your significant other is something that will always take control over a person.

"I guess . . . but if you mention this to anyone else I will _**MURDER**_ you. Are we clear?" Yang takes a moment to stare Nora in the eyes who nonchalantly nods and inches forward to listen like a child getting a bedtime story.

"We would never give away intimate information like that, Yang. I'm offended you would think that ill of us." I say in a kidding manner, but the way Yang's facial expression softens makes me realize I may have hit a soft spot without meaning to.

"Well," Yang starts, "Blake's unpredictable for one; you'd expect her to be this mysterious girl and then be able to find the truths about her at the one place you're at your most honest . . . but it's different with her. She can change her tempo at the drop of a hat."

"Explain~" Nora sings and quickly shifts from sitting to laying on her stomach.

"One moment Blake could be laying on her back letting me, y'know, do my thing . . . and without warning, a signal or anything like that she suddenly just flips the situation. She'll go from laying back and asking to sitting on my face and demanding. I mean, it's nothing to complain about - believe me, it's nothing to complain about."

While Yang talks I can spot the blush creeping across her face, but at the same the way she smiles shows just how much she enjoys talking about these sorts of things. I suppose intercourse is always an interesting subject, but it's something that Yang probably can't talk about often considering her sister and her sister's girlfriend are the only others available to talk about these things. Nora on the other hand is willing to talk about anything and everything given the opportunity.

"Hm . . . does Blake read smutties?" Nora asks rather quickly.

"I mean . . . she has this subscription to Ninjas of Love . . . She has every volume."

"Right! I forgot about that. Well, that makes perfect sense then. Blake's a complete closet perv." Nora says with confidence.

"What do you mean by 'closet perv'?"

"Well, I bet you there are a lot of fetishes that she doesn't ask you to play out because she's worried about you judging her. For one, I know the Ninjas of Love series has a lot of rope play . . . the fun bondage kind of stuff. Ren's a fan of the series too." Nora says with a gigglesnort. "Although Ren's not afraid to admit he finds the stuff interesting . . . he says he reads those books for the plot. _**Pfft**_!"

"Hey! The plot on those things are amazing! Have you even taken time to read a single volume? The amount of foreshadowing Blake can do is disgusting based on context clues and the amount of subtle symbolism." Yang starts to rant without pause. "So yeah, if he reads it for the plot get it, the erotic stuff is just a nice bonus."

Nora and I take a moment to look at each other before we both begin bursting out in laughter at the serious tone Yang takes at the first mention of Blake and Ren's notorious series.

"Well, if you read the book, then I bet you've seen the kind of stuff they do, right?" Nora asks with a cheek-to-cheek smirk. "I betcha that's something Blake'll want to try. Does she do anything when she's bored like maybe tie knots with her ribbon or wrap it in a certain pattern around her fingers?"

"I mean . . . once in awhile I catch her doing stuff like that, but she always tells me she's just thinking about stuff . . . oh."

"Yup! Anyway, that just means a scene from that book will catch her attention. Doesn't have to be erotic or anything, but one of the better romance scenes she probably has bookmarked. Now to the important stuff~!" Nora exclaims and leaves the comfort of her bed to get one of her notebooks that she tends to use for doodling during class.

"What's the book for?" Yang asks when Nora returns and opens up her book to the next available page that already has a pen and pencil sitting inside.

"Time to start jotting down Blake. Let's see," Nora places her book onto her lap and begins to scribble down while she talks. "Closet pervert, likes ropes, wants romantic time in the forest. Surprise her with a spontaneous change of mood for maximum effect. Don't give her the option to take control. There, I think this'll sum up what you need to get her going bonkers over everything. So, when are you gonna do it all?"

"I don't know . . . I was thinking after the tournament . . . Take her out again, hopefully this time around we could do something a little more pricey. Weiss kind of saved my ass . . . she gave me enough lien to do whatever I wanted that night, it was nicest thing she's done for me. Now her sis is getting us queen beds. I mean, I think putting two twins next to each other is the same thing, but why refuse free mattresses?" Yang asks rhetorically, but I feel somewhat inclined to shed light on the situation.

"Well, with two queen sized mattresses, I doubt it'll take up as much room as the bulk frames on the twin beds. If anything I'm sure those beds will fit nice and snug in the same corners as your bunks. At most you may need to move the night stands slightly, but I believe it could be an advantageous new arrangement." I conclude. "Now, I can already see Nora boiling with your suggestion, and I'm somewhat inclined to agree. Why wai-"

"Why would you wait until after the tournament!? You have it here and now! I did say to surprise her by being spontaneous! A proposal now is definitely the way to go! Well, I guess it's not a real proposal but umm . . . something to mark you both as 'together together' without needing to say 'together together forever'."

"But . . . we _**will**_ be together forever. I'm not letting go of her."

"Well no duh, but just saying that out to someone is like . . . over committing? I think that's the word- Anyway! You definitely need to give her that stuff today!" Nora nods her head and takes another look at the two gifts with a smile. "They're really nice . . . I want to get something like this for me and Ren."

"How are you and Ren faring anyway, Nora?" I butt in with curiosity. My question brings a dark shade of red to the hammer wielder's face.

"Well, um . . . y'know . . . we're _**together**_ just not together together. I think we're inching a little closer, though. Ren's always been kind of slow on things . . . Should've seen how long it took him to pick out a book to read. I thought I would die of boredom!" Nora groans and jumps up from her bed. She puts both boxes down and starts to casually walk over to me to whisper something in my ear.

"Could you a travel back with some cold cuts, drinks and other stuff for a picnic?" At Nora's words I nod and make haste to excuse myself from the room in my quest to find Jaune and Ren.

Surprisingly, they're both just getting back to the room. Ren is holding a tray with four cups of tea on it while Jaune follows very quietly next to him. I decide to take the tray from Ren and hand it to Jaune, then gently nudge Ren away from the room to accompany me.

"I'm going to need Ren to help me gather supplies. I'll be right back, Jaune." I say to him with my warmest smile

"Alright, Pyrrha . . . Don't leave me waiting too long." Jaune kids and starts to open the door to bring the drinks to Yang and Nora.

"I would never." I answer while already walking with Ren in the opposite direction. "So, it would seem Nora has a plan . . . as expected."

"Right, but I doubt it will go well with someone as worrisome and hot-headed as Yang being the target. What does Nora want?" Ren asks, a smile on his face at the thought of Nora planning out an elaborate scheme - which she is rarely capable of unless it's for a gift-giving situation.

"She asked me to get her cold-cuts and 'other stuff for a picnic' which makes it fairly obvious what her plan is. What would you put in a basket for the two of them?" I question, completely oblivious as to what Blake and Yang like.

"Yang is a heavy meat eater while Blake prefers fish - ironic it is. I suppose a couple of tuna sandwiches and a Vacuo special would suffice." Ren analyzes. "Leave the menu to me. If you could find a proper carrying unit and a sizable blanket, that would be greatly appreciated." Ren says after doing a quick mental checklist.

"Consider it done." Is my immediate response and the two of us dart off to do our tasks

* * *

 _ **(PRESENT)**_

* * *

As our chase continues I can hear and feel my scroll going off to notify me of a message. I slow down just slightly to get to a more manageable pace so I can fish it from my pocket and then make it a point to speed up to catch up to Ruby and Blake. It takes me a bit longer than usual to read the message, especially since it's difficult to hold the device steady enough to read while keeping stride at a near sprint.

 _ **Ren:**_ _Everything is set. Here is our location_

 _That explains why Ren was quick to drop out . . . I knew his stamina wasn't that poor._

With the news sent to me, I start to make my own departure from the chase to change course for the location of Ren, which doesn't appear to be too far from where I am. In fact, based on the overhead view of the location that my scroll gives me, it seems like it's an old, memorable landmark.

A small jog leads me to the location that was marked, and thankfully I'm on the proper side of the giant abyss and ruins that remain after our initiation into Beacon. At the very edge of the high, overlooking cliff is a large yellow blanket that Ren has taken the proper measure of making sure there is not a single wrinkle.

On the center of the cloth are two canned drinks and a sandwich carefully balanced on each. It's an ordinary setup, but surely it'll be enough to capture Blake's attention. Now all that is missing is the party this was arranged for.

Through the vast abyss over the cliffside I can hear the screams of Yang and the laughs of Nora fill the air as the hammer wielder makes her appearance from the forest and starts to dash through the ruins towards the giant hole that appears to be never-ending.

"Looks like Nora is heading for a dead end . . . pun intended." Jaune says with a worried chuckle. Ren, on the other hand, walks to the cliffside after smoothening the sheets one final time to watch Nora's long run off a short pier.

"Pyrrha, do you think you could get Nora if she were holding something metallic?" Ren asks, knowing the capabilities of my semblance well.

"As long as it's large enough to not break while I'm pulling her." I explain.

"Thank you." Ren answers and holds out his sleeves to draw his Stormflower. He takes his time with measuring the distance and when he finds the timing to be perfect, he throws one of the two weapons down the abyss. I watch as the bladed gun starts to curve like a boomerang during its descent and like a perfect shot aimed at a moving target, it manages to meet Nora during her leap off of the ruins. The moment she grabs the weapon I trigger my semblance and begin pulling her up, but not before Yang makes the same leap and manages to catch Nora by the ankles.

While Yang's added weight does make it slightly more difficult to pull the two of them up, I'm still able to get both of them up the cliffside, leaving Blake and Ruby to follow Weiss' glyphs to cross the chasm.

"Nora, I'm going to fucking kill you! Where are they!?" Yang screams and continues to chase the short ginger, although during her ascension she manages to toss both gifts into the hands of Ren who carefully places them on the picnic blanket while Yang is still distracted.

"What is going on here!?" At the voice of an angry Faunus, all eyes turn towards Blake who stomps her way towards Yang.

The poor blonde does nothing but stand there like a scolded animal as Blake approaches and quickly grabs her girlfriend by the ear.

"Ow! Fuck! I can explain, Blake! J-just let go of my ear!" Yang shouts. Blake continues to tug on the ear while the rest of us back away from the picnic blanket and the approaching Bumbleby couple to watch what happens.

"Remember what I told you, Yang!" Nora reminds the brawler. Although that reminder may be ill-timed, especially when Blake is already furious at the awkward situation that has left us deep within The Emerald Forest.

"Now, what is going on? We had a great evening and suddenly you're as angry as can be. What does that say about how good a night it was for us?" Blake says in one of her harsher tones while she tugs on Yang's ear to guide the blonde down to a knee.

Once she's certain that Yang is under control, Blake lowers to a knee as well and rests her hands on her lover's shoulders.

"As for the rest of you," Blake starts, "I expect a good explanation as to why Yang was chasing Nora of all people. What did you let her do this time?"

Blake's prying eyes force me to look away. They're like the gaze of a scolding mother . . . the gaze one can never return less they want their head taken off.

"It's on me, Blake." Yang begins and carefully crawls around Blake to place herself on the edge of the picnic blanket and obstructing Blake's view of the two gifts that are now directly behind Yang. "I got you something and was too scared to give it to you. All these thoughts and worries of you not accepting it just got to me . . . I went to JNPR for help and Nora for once was the expert on something that didn't involve breaking legs."

"First off, why would I not accept a gift from you, Yang? I could never turn down something you've given me from the heart . . . Even if that ends up being a stupid cat toy." Blake growls, recalling a few of Yang's prank gifts. "So, what is it?"

As if on cue Team JNPR and the White Rose of Team RWBY kneel down to watch what happens next. We look on with intent to see Yang reaching behind her for the smaller of the two boxes and hands it to Blake. The curious feline begins to open up the small casing while Yang starts to speak at a pace that could cause her to be mistaken with Ruby.

"It's just something I thought you'd like, y'know? Nothing fancy, 'cause I know you hate fancy stuff." Yang continues to talk until Blake finally manages to get the cover off and stare at the beautiful ring. The glistening, finely cut purple dust crystal carefully shaped into a heart sits nice and snug within the silver band.

She visible shake in Blake's hand while she reaches for the ring gives away her amazement for the gift. Yang is quick to notice the shaking and takes it upon herself to take the ring out of the box with her right hand, and with her left hand she carefully grasps Blake's right wrist and smiles.

"Blake . . . you know I'm a flirt. You know I've never been one to stay with one person for long. But I want you to know that you're the only girl for me. Come hell and high water, nothing's gonna break me away from you. I'll give an arm and a leg to stay with you." Yang whispers and carefully places the ring on Blake's finger.

Blake on the other hand is completely unresponsive. The Faunus carefully pulls her hand up to her face to better observe the ring after it's been placed. It's not for another ten seconds or so that Blake finally leans down to wrap her arms around her girlfriend's neck and hide her face underneath Yang's golden mane.

"We'll be going. Enjoy your picnic, you two." Weiss speaks up to let everyone know it's time to give the two their space. "I'm glad to see you spent it on something worthwhile."

Jaune, Nora, Ren, Ruby, Weiss and I all begin to walk away from the cliffside to leave the Bumbleby couple to enjoy their picnic. I decide to take one final look at them after a sizable amount of distance has been created. I'm not disappointed in the least to see the two of them sitting down on the blanket with Yang sharing one of the cans with her bride-to-be. Seeing them today solidified in my mind that they'll always be in love with each other.

I hope Jaune and I could mature just as well as the Team RWBY relationships.

"Now that's what I call the gift of giving a gift giving gift." Nora says with pride after being able to witness the end result.

"You truly are the gifting queen, Nora." Ren encourages her, leading the short ginger to cling onto the arm of the team's ninja.

"Can I be your queen?" Nora whispers to Ren, but I think all of us caught the whisper a little too easily.

"What was that?" Ren asks, seeming to be the only one who didn't catch on based upon all the eyes locked onto Nora.

"Oh nothing . . . Just talking to myself."

If only Nora could gift herself the courage to make progress.


	29. The Schnee Makeover

_So, Title is a double meaning . . . I kind of like doing those.  
_

 _Quick chapter, just trying to get back into the swing of things so I decided to throw this one out for fun. next few chapters may be visiting a couple of forgotten couples: Crosshare, Fried Ice Cream and I think some better White Rose fluff is due while it can still be done . . ._

 _So, enjoy the read!_

* * *

 _ **POV: RUBY ROSE**_

 _ **Chapter 29 - The Schnee Makeover.**_

"So that was your plan the entire time? You realize that if Yang caught you, she just may have beaten you to a bloody pulp, right?"

"Psh! She wouldn't do that to a friend." Nora dismisses after my comment. "Besides, Yang has too much rack to keep up with me"

"While I can't disagree . . . It was reckless, even for you, Nora." Weiss jumps in, taking my side on the situation. "Although since everything worked out in the end . . . it's overlookable. This time, at least."

Team JNPR spent the entire walk back to Beacon explaining Yang's predicament and her need to find a way to give Blake her gifts in as best a way as possible. The entire story and each perspective was able to shed light onto how we all ended up chasing Yang and Nora through the Emerald Forest.

"Well, now that the excitement is over . . . I need to find out who threw my bed out the window." I sigh, remembering the shattering in my heart to see my bed laying in ruins underneath my team's dormroom window.

"Oh, that was Winter." Weiss is quick to say, then holds her hand up to stop me from cutting her off. "She's getting us queen beds that will arrive before the day is done."

"Does that mean each pair will have their own bed? I'm surprised your sister would approve." Pyrrha says nonchalantly.

"Well, it was her that suggested and took it upon herself to execute. I hardly had a say in the matter." Weiss partially sighs and partially groans.

The six of us are already walking through the halls of the dormitory, making our way to our respective rooms. As we make the usual turn at the three-way intersection, we realize that in our quick exits, both of our doors remained wide open.

To make matters worse, it looks like someone took the liberty of going through our room since I can see our bedsheets and pillows sitting on the floor in the center of the hall. Weiss and I immediately run into the room and come to a surprising, and relieving halt when we see the two queen-sized beds that were mentioned earlier were delivered and placed.

On the left side of the room, carefully nudged all the way to the wall is a large bed with black-ice metal textured frame and bedpost. The sheets on top of the mattress are an icy blue and the blanket that is neatly folded on the center displays the center portion of the Schnee emblem. If I were to unfold the blanket, the edges of the Schnee snowflake would extend out and probably reach the ends of the sheet.

However, on the right side of the room, Blake and Yang's new bed frame has a purple hue to it. At first I think the material may be marble, but the purple hue to it throws me off. The way it reflects and has such a sleek look to it makes me continue to think of marble, but the hue of it makes me think amethyst. What truly surprises me is the realization that their sheets are completely black while the blanket is a healthy shade of yellow with Yang's emblem sitting in the center in a bright orange color.

Both bed frames go all the way to the floor, leaving no room to place anything underneath, but to make up for that there are two drawers on the sides of the frames as well as a small shelf built into the headboard, allowing for a way to separate books into three sections, or to use those three spaces for anything that is desired.

I begin to look around the room a little more, noting that the nightstands we have are gone and the contents from inside them are carefully placed on the desk next to the door. It's safe to assume that the shelf space within the headboard and the drawers along the side of the bed frame are meant to be the replacement for the nightstand.

"Winter doesn't take her time on anything." Weiss says is a more bothered than appreciative way. "Once her mind is set on something, she does it."

"That's not really a bad thing . . . besides, the beds look great!" I declare in hopes of cheering Weiss' out of character display of depression over a nice gesture.

"They do look amazing." Pyrrha comments from behind us. I look over my shoulder to see her and the rest of team JNPR peeking in to see our new furniture, but before long they decide to go into their own rooms. Ren from claiming he's tired, Nora deciding to follow him, and Jaune declaring he's had enough of Team RWBY for one day. Pyrrha, not wanting to be the only one left in the hallway follows Jaune inside.

Weiss decides to pick up the pile of sheets left in the hallway and places them off to the side inside the room, then shuts the door. The two of us exchange glances for a moment and in sync we both hear the same sound. To me it sounded like a grunt of some kind, followed by a hiss of pain.

To our surprise the bathroom door is closed - which isn't something that's ordinary since we make it a rule to keep it open to prove its vacancy. Weiss decides to be the one to walk to the door and open it up, leaving us both somewhat shocked at the sight.

"The fuck? Would it kill you to knock, Ice Queen!?" The voice of the familiar, loud, and angry cheetah faunus greets us.

"For one this is _**our**_ room. Now why are you here?" Weiss sighs and places a hand on her forehead. It's clear she wasn't prepared to deal with Shun today.

"Combing my hair . . . I needed one of Sunflower's brushes. I got her this good metal one here." Shun says and starts to wave the brush in the air. "Damn bristles feel like a dry toothbrush. Only thing that could tame Yang's hair . . . and probably the only thing that'll help me with mine."

"You don't exactly have a lot of hair to deal with. Why would you need a brush like that?"

"Yeah, well . . . it doesn't exactly need scheduled maintenance." Shun counters and hands Weiss the brush. "I usually wake up, press it down and toss a little hairspray in. Not much to do since it's short."

Weiss, still being skeptical decides to take the brush and make an attempt at combing through the orange mane. Much to my surprise, I can see Weiss start to struggle with each stroke of the brush, and eventually Weiss' agitation makes her stop completely.

"What do you use as hairspray!? GLUE!?" the heiress shouts and leaves the bathroom with a sigh.

"Exactly . . . so let me work this out a bit. I won't be long."

"Who said I was giving up? Come and sit. You obviously need someone who manages their hair properly . . . and I keep my hair perfect at all times." Weiss gloats, but she isn't wrong to be honest. Weiss' hair is a shining white, and the many times I've tossed and curled my fingers through it only one word has come to mind: silk.

Weiss has a morning ritual, and part of it is taking proper time to comb her hair and make sure all of the parts along her scalp are proper. If she detects a single split end, she'll do her best to fix it, and if all else fails she'll take time to cut her hair and make sure everything is even and unnoticeable.

"I'm perfectly capable of fixing my own hair, Ice Queen." Shun rolls her eyes, not moving an inch from the bathroom.

"Yes, you are. However, if you're trying to impress my sister I suggest you accept my help." Weiss counters as if she was expecting Shun's response already.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I just want to fix my hair. I ain't got plans with-"

"Winter would _**never**_ make someone stay with her that she doesn't need. The fact that she stopped you from joining us in the chase gave it all away. You can deny it, but I am 95% certain that your attempt to fix your appearance is because of her . . . Now let me brush your hair."

When Weiss is done talking Shun doesn't say a word. Instead the faunus girl quietly walks over towards the two of us and sits with her back against the bed, between Weiss' legs. Weiss wastes no time and starts to attack the messy head of hair with obvious effort put into her motions.

"This is disturbing . . . have you showered yet?" Weiss questions, probably thinking of an alternative solution.

"Was gonna do that a little later."

"Do you have a change of clothes nearby?"

"I got a small backpack in the bathroom. Why?"

"Take a shower and use my conditioner." Weiss commands and starts to nudge the faunus away. "It's a special de-tangler . . . I could use my own comb afterwards to take care of your hair without worrying about breaking my wrist."

I expect there to be a lengthy argument about Weiss bossing her around, but Shun quietly rises and steps into the bathroom without any word. Within seconds I can hear the shower running, leaving Weiss and I a few minutes of alone time.

"How did you know she was trying to look nice for Winter?" I decide to ask now that Shun is out of earshot.

"Winter messaged me earlier saying she will be using my Vale housing for the evening. It wasn't hard to put the clues together. While I doubt anything will come of it, it should at least improve my sister's view of this 'gamin' as she's chosen to address our attitude-filled faunus.

"I wouldn't have put all that together." I admit and lay back, spreading myself out with my arms and legs apart to enjoy the more spacious bed.

Weiss decides to join me and lays her head on my stomach, laughing while she looks at the ceiling. A random giggle from her is acceptable, but for her to burst into full on laughter manages to startle me just a bit.

"What's so funny?" I lift my head just in time to see Weiss wipe a tear away from her eye from laughing so much. Her hands are pressed firmly on her torso while she grips her abdomen. From my angle I can only see the left side of her face, but she turns her head to look at me with one of her brighter and more welcoming smiles.

"For the longest time I thought the ceiling was blue . . ." Weiss says, making me raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"But the ceiling is white."

"Exactly . . . my ceiling has always been the bottom of your mattress!" Weiss manages to get out before bursting into laughter yet again.

Thinking about it now, ever since day 1 in Beacon, Weiss has been underneath my bed. Anytime she lays down to rest or sleep, my mattress is the closest sight she has, especially since she prefers to sleep on her back.

"Well," I look up at the ceiling, realizing something myself. "It looks more spacious down here . . . I kind of like it."

"Although I think we may need to take out those ceiling hooks. They make the ceiling look atrocious now."

What Weiss is talking about are the four hooks that I placed myself to help suspend my bed with rope. Without any need for them they clash greatly with the pearly white color of the ceiling since they're the standard metal color.

"Can we take them down later? I'm comfy." Weiss shakes her head at me and reaches her left hand to brush a couple of her fingers through my hair.

"You're lucky I'm just as tired as you. If we didn't have company I'd probably be asleep by now." Weiss admits.

"Would it be a _Weiss decision_ to sleep in the middle of the day? You just Schnee how bad an idea it is for your sleep schedule." I say, deciding to throw in two puns of my own, resulting in a death glare from Weiss.

"Ugh! You and Yang can be such Enablers!"

Instantly I throw my hand over Weiss' mouth in complete shock. I can feel the sweat leaving my pores.

"Weiss, you can never call me and Yang _**Enablers**_ . . . That's just asking to get hunted down." I gulp

"Hunted down by who? Yang?" Weiss questions with a very skeptical raise of her eyebrows.

"If I told you . . . it would break our dimension." I warn her.

"Okay . . . Don't tell me then?" Weiss shrugs her shoulders and starts to look up at the ceiling again, at least until the bathroom door is swung open with authority.

"Now that's some real nice water! That massage setting really dug into my shoulders." The loud Faunus announces. "Alright, I used the conditioner you had in there and didn't dry my hair . . . Was that right?"

"That's exactly what I needed." Weiss answers, then begins to sit herself up. With her head on my stomach I haven't been able to get a clear view of Shun, but the moment Weiss sits up and turns her head, the two of us completely freeze at the sight.

"You flirtatious feline! Put on some clothes this instant!" Weiss screams at the top of her lungs.

"Why the fuck should I? We're women, right? You seen a pussy's pussy before, ain'tcha? Ain't either one of you go to a gym or somethin'?" Shun defends with a barrage of questions

"I am _**not**_ going to touch your hair if you do not _**at least**_ put on a bra and panties" Weiss growls, clearly not pleased at the lack of decency.

"You're acting like I'm tryin'a shove my twat in ya face. I'm not into you like that." The back and forth argument leaves me covering my mouth with one hand and gripping my stomach with the other to help me through the current laughing fit.

Seeing another woman naked isn't that big an issue to me . . .although I will admit that if I don't know them well enough I do get caught off guard. Seeing Coco standing proud in all of her glory was a little too much for me, but I think I've known Shun long enough that I'm not too affected. Just by a glimpse I can tell her chest is slightly bigger than my sister's, which is odd since I've always thought her chest was more along Blake's level. On top of that, her abdomen definitely has more definition than my sister's. I would say the only person that puts her torso to shame is Sun.

Since Weiss seems to be increasing in discomfort, I decide to lean over and whisper something in her ear for her to say that may level the playing field just a bit. It'll either be a hit or miss, but it will definitely be worth the shot.

"Um . . . " Weiss looks at me with a raised eyebrow, then turns her head back to Shun. ". . . Do you wear a compression bra?"

Without another word, the faunus disappears into the bathroom, emerging once she's in a pair of black boyshorts and a compression bra to verify my suspicions.

"Shit, I almost forgot about that . . . last thing I need is to fuck up my back." Hito nods her head to noone in particular and takes her seat on the floor with her back towards Weiss.

Knowing that Weiss is going to need her usual brush and comb, I decide to get up and go through the slightly disorganized pile on our writing desk. I'm able to find her brush and take a moment to admire the pearly white handle with the Schnee crest glistening on the back in the usual ice-blue hue. To match that, the bristles are the same color of blue.

I then look around for her comb. In comparison to the brush, her comb is a plain light-blue color but then again, how can you make a comb fancy?

"Umm, do you need anything else, Weiss?" I ask and hold up the brush and comb in my left hand to show her what I've gathered so far.

"That'll do for now. I need to get her hair under control . . . I feel like the only thing I could use is a weed wacker at this point." Weiss says to me but gives a cheeky look out the corner of her eye to the faunus seated between her legs.

"Nobody said you have to help me. If you're gonna be an asshole about it, I rather do it myself." The faunus growls.

"Loosen up." Weiss sighs, taking the brush from me when I get close enough and begins to slowly rake the bristles through the mass of wet hair. "Now that I think about it . . . want me to do your hair too, Ruby?"

The thought of laying my head on Weiss' lap while she brushes my hair brings the biggest smile to my face. Is it odd I find the image romantic?

"Mhm!" I respond then move to my feet. "May as well grab a shower too, then. I'll be out in a jiffy!"

I move towards the window to go through my drawers, searching for a comfortable outfit to wear after my shower. While I'm searching for my clothes, my ears perk to Weiss asking me a question.

"When was the last time I brushed your hair? I can't recall."

"Umm . . . never?" I shrug and look over my shoulder to Weiss who stops mid brush of Shun's hair.

"Never?" Weiss repeats, somewhat shocked at my answer.

"Never." I repeat.

"Right . . . you're always using my shampoo so I just assume I brushed your hair as well. Take your shower and I'll take care of yours next . . . it's a nice way to relax. I need a manicure now that I think about it."

"Pedicure's are more my thing." Shun jumps into the conversation. "Did you ever catch up to Sunflower?"

"We did, and she's currently having a picnic with Blake."

"Good for her. Hopefully my night goes alright."

"Well, you're probably the first Faunus to have a Schnee as a stylist. I think you're as far ahead of the game as can be." Weiss says, yet again gloating at how good she is when it comes to hair, and probably anything that involves improving appearances.

I love it when she gets confident.


	30. Looking Through The Crosshares

_**Hey guys. This was supposed to be done about two weeks ago but well . . . My B-day was 5 days ago, been bouncing around saving up for RTX this year . . .and on top of that I've been having some kickass Harddrive failures! Woohoo!  
**_

 _ **So, here's Chapter 30 . . . Typed up on my phone, so if there are a shit ton of errors . . . fuck you.**_

 _ **Anyway! Enjoy the chapter, review, Pm me, blah blah blah. Follow me on twitch too because . . . Video games!**_

 _ **Twitch: Jorge10466**_

* * *

 _ **POV: ? ? ?**_

 _ **Chapter 30 - Looking Through The Crosshares:**_

 _ **I've Got You In My Sights**_

"She's been that way ever since our match ended."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

" _ **We**_ , don't do anything. _**You**_ get to talk to her. I think you're the only one that can cheer her up."

"Why am I doing this alone? We're a team!"

"We saw the live stream . . . You two need to have a talk anyway."

Great, just when the embarrassment of realizing I was on camera passes, it's brought right back to the front of my mind.

The afternoon has been filled with surprises, and the biggest of all has been the final match to end the day. With impressive victories by teams RWBY and JNPR, obviously we wouldn't want to be left in the dark. Well, that's the mindset our far-from-camera-shy leader has maintained all day.

In front of me are half of 'our family' as she likes to say. Towering over me in a pale-green robe that fails to cover everything above his left pec is Yatsu. The best way to describe him is a 'gentle giant'. He's always been the quiet one that makes sure everyone is okay in his own way.

Standing next to him is Fox. Fox is probably Yatsu's opposite in most regards. He doesn't talk much, and his method of making sure everyone is okay is far more indirect. He'll observe for himself instead of taking action to come across the answer(s) he's looking for. He's always there when you need him, though. Then again, Coco makes sure we have each other's backs. That's just how things are.

Oh, right . . . Coco

"I'll give it my best shot." I sigh and leave the team's room to head towards my own. Yatsuhashi told me that ever since their loss, she's been depressed and quiet. To make things worst, it's at a level where she chose my room over our team's room. It's become an unspoken rule between the team that after any form of event we meet up in the dorm. My room is practically non-existent during the day since I only use it at night to sleep. Any other time of day I choose to be with the team. Coco being in my room must mean she's utterly depressed over the results.

I give my farewells to Yatsu and Fox before I make my way to my room. The quick walk only manages to make me more anxious at what I'm supposed to do or say. Just as I'm close to my room, a loud commotion comes from one of the adjacent hallways. Within seconds I can see Nora, Yang, and the rest of their respective teammates chasing after them.

"Are they late for class again? No . . . classes are suspended. Late for a match?" I ask to myself even though everyone is out of sight and should be out of mind. That's another one of Coco's little sayings.

I take out my scroll and proceed to open the door. As expected her back is towards the door and it appears she's doing another one of her podcasts. My door is very quiet, so I doubt she heard me enter, especially with the amount of curses and groans I hear. Instead of interfering and making my presence know, I stand near the door after closing it as quietly as I can and listen to what she's saying.

"All that work. The blood, the sweat, the tears. All the damn expenses! You think you're ready for it all and the pressure just . . . it hits you like a freight train." Coco shouts to her scroll. She waits a couple of seconds, fighting away tears and sniffles while she reads the chat.

"I didn't think I was affected by pressure either. But once I was in that forest . . . I got so stressed out that I thought I saw Yatsi. How do you mistake seeing someone as tall as he is!? He never made it out of the geyser fields apparently. As a matter of fact, the same time I saw him is the exact moment he was eliminated. How the hell do you explain that shit!?"

 _It's not your fault, Coco . . . We don't know much of anything about Haven or how they train their students . . . There's no way to prepare for the Vytal Festival except with each other._

"The hell? Well fuck you, then." Coco responds to one of her viewer's comments, then follows with a groan. "And no, we're not dragging Bon Bon back on stream. That last time was a mistake. I swear you can all be a bunch of pervs given the chance." Coco laughs.

"They're not that far off from you, honestly." I call out, making my team leader bounce out of the chair to look at me.

"Bon Bon! Why are you . . . when were you . . . how did you . . . ?" Coco questions after I make myself known.

"Yatsuhashi and Fox are worried sick about you, so they sent me. I've been here about two minutes, and it's my room . . . I think I have a right to own a key." I walk towards Coco and place my arms on the back of the chair. From here I can peek over her shoulder to see the scroll, along with our faces showing in a small box that occupies about a third of the screen.

"Hello, fashionistas!" I say to the scroll and give a friendly wave.

"Ugh! Don't encourage them, Bon Bon. They're just gonna start bringing up what happened last time." Coco warns me and tilts her head back to look up at me through her usual shades.

"I'm sure they're just trying to mess with you; you've always been a fun one to bother." I defend her mass of fans.

"Also, I told you my followers are called _fashists_ , not _**fashionistas.**_ " Coco groans.

"Well I think it sounds more proper to call them Fashionistas, and I think they agree, see." I gesture towards the chat filled with many confirmations that my name is much more prefered. "Consider it my contribution to your success."

"You're lucky I love you . . . 're ears . . . I love your ears." Coco says, while I walk away to find a second chair to drag next to her and sit down in.

"I love you too, Coco." I say once I'm seated next to her. I don't bother looking her way. Coco's always been the confident one . . . but at the same time she can be easily thrown off her game by that phrase. It's kind of odd that it would do that, especially since she says it all the time to Yatsu and Fox. "So, what was today's podcast about?"

"Explaining what happened from my end in the match . . . I swear I saw Yatsuhashi . . . I _**know**_ I saw him." Coco claims, but everyone saw him lose to Mercury in the geyser fields.

"Well regardless of you seeing him, it's all in the past now. Let's just get some rest and be ready for when the semester starts. I know! We can go into Vale and have some tinny! No need to hold back now that we're out." I do my best to offer Coco something that would distract her. Unfortunately, drinking has always proven to be the best way to get her mind off things.

"Really, Bon Bon? The two of us?" Coco quickly reaches forward and places her palm over the camera/microphone of her scroll. "Don't get my hopes up!"

"Just us, Coco. How about you end your stream and we can get ready?" I smile at her enthusiasm. I decide to tease her just a bit by snatching her beret and placing it on my head, between my ears. When I do, the orange strand of hair she keeps tucked away part of the time falls down and cascades over her left eye.

With that, I stand up and step into my bathroom. The white tiles beneath my feet offer poor footing for my footwear which I start to work myself out of. To the left is my toilet of course, and directly ahead of me is the sink. To my right, controlling the entire far wall is the bathtub. The tiles are a pearly white, matching the porcelain texture of the sink, toilet and tub. However, the walls are a light blue made to compliment the white. The only thing within the entire bathroom that is different than its standard setup are the shower curtains. I'm not a very itemistic person, but I brought shower curtains from home that are dark, but partially see-through with my emblem decorated all over in brown.

It's a little piece of home that reminds me of the people that sent me away with smiles and good wishes.

I can hear Coco talking to her followers while I continue to undress. I decide to set her beret carefully on top of the faucet to the sink while I start to run the water through the shower head. From what I've heard, most rooms have three knobs for their shower, but mine only has one knob that I need to raise and adjust near the halfway point of the turn to manage between hot and cold water.

Once I get the temperature to where I want, I hop in - no pun intended - and start to drench myself in the warm, welcoming water. Not having Coco with me in the shower leaves plenty of room for me to stretch and turn to let the water hit me on certain stressed areas such as my lower back or shoulders.

To add to the extra room that I have in my own bathtub, silence is something else I get - although I don't appreciate that too much. Coco's a shower singer for sure, and while some of her songs are a tad rude, I do enjoy hearing her - I mean them! Without her available to satisfy my ear worms, I find myself singing one of the songs she likes, although with a slower rhythm since I'm not nearly as fast with lyrics as she is.

 _ **I'm a cheetah on the plains; I'm the highway star**_

 _ **A supersonic princess in a million dollar car.**_

 _ **Blood on fire, pumping through my veins**_

 _ **Weaving in and out while I'm bolting through the lanes.**_

 _ **I'm hyperdrive, overdrive, hit the gas at fifty-five!**_

 _ **Breakneck, trainwreck, in my presence; genuflect**_

I close my eyes, finding the rhythm Coco takes with the song somewhere in the sounds of the hundreds of cascading drops of water. I start to swing my head side to side along with my hips as well as speeding up for the one portion of the song I can actually sing at proper speed.

 _ **Track-roundin', Speed-a-soundin', electrifyin', pulse-poundin' ,**_

 _ **Heart-pumpin', vein-thumpin', watch me get the party bumpin'!**_

 _ **Caffeine! I'm Caffeine!**_

"It's _**'heart-pumpin', brain thumpin', watch me get the party jumpin',**_ ' Bon Bon."

I jump and look over my shoulder, meeting Coco's glare as she looks at me from over the top of her shades with her beret back on her head. At the moment she's seated at the edge of the bathtub furthest from the running water. In comparison to me, she's still completely clothed, but in her right hand are two brushes. One for my hair, and the other specially made to comb the fur of my ears.

"How long have you-"

"Since you started, Bon Bon. You gonna finish up there or not?I don't want to hold this comb forever.

Coco and I exchange smug looks and giggles while I make short work in lathering myself up with soap and a luffa, then even shorter work in washing all the suds off of me. When I'm done I move to Coco who stands up, letting me sit at the edge of the tub where she just was. She takes a moment to pass me a towel, allowing me to dry off where I can so long as I don't need to move my head too much.

While I dry myself off as best as I can for the time being, she wastes no time at all with brushing my hair and ears for me. Much to my surprise, I learn that she also took the liberty of bringing my blowdryer with her thanks to the loud, obnoxious sound that erupts from behind me.

"So, do you have a place in mind, Coco?" I ask while the blow dryer is still running through my locks.

"Do I have a peace of mind?" She tries to repeat, but thanks to the loud sound of the blow dryer she heard me wrong.

"No, do you have a place in mind for us to go?" I ask, a bit louder this time.

"Oh! I know a place for sure. We'll kill about two or three hours there. Sound like a plan?"

I idly kick my legs along the floor of the tub, the lingering wet spots making my heels glide across the surface while I patiently sit in the nude while Coco takes her sweet time with my hair as she always does. To my surprise, Coco turns off the blow dryer much earlier than usual. The weight along the back of my head gives away the fact that she definitely isn't finished by how much water is weighing my hair down.

"Say, Bon?" Coco pushes the shower curtain towards the front of the tub to make room for her to sit next to me but with her feet sitting outside of the tub.

"Hm? Something bothering you, Coco?"

"Remember that time a semester or two ago . . . The four of us were going around telling all these stupid secrets about each other?" Coco asks while she resumes brushing my hair for the time being, although it's more to keep herself occupied than actually detangle at this point.

"Mhm. Yatsu' scared of the dark, Fox has a fear of needles, and I have trust issues." I answer, recalling the evening fairly well. "Now that I think about it . . . you never answered that night. You went to get a cup of coffee from my room and didn't come back for over half an hour."

"Yeah, that's the detail I wanted you to remember." Coco shakes her head and changes the brush in her hand for a towel so she can dry off my left ear. When she's done she reaches for the other, short-bristled brush and starts to gently brush the brown fur. "So, I figured I'd share that since it came to mind."

"Shouldn't you be sharing it with the team, not just me?" I argue, earning one of Coco's skeptical glares over the top of her shades.

"Bon, why did we do that whole exercise to begin with?" Coco counters with a question of her own, forcing me to think back to what lead into our round of confessions.

"Because you wanted us to help each other with those fears. We kept a night light for Yatsu and moved the beds slightly closer together. For Fox we went and got minor acupuncture as a group . . . and the three of you practically tore down all forms of barriers between each other so there would be no secrets between us to show that you're all trustworthy."

"Right, we had a way to help manage with each other's problems." Coco agrees. "Well, I'm just gonna say this and I'll wait in the hall to see if you still want to come to Vale with me."

Coco's drop in tone and sudden negativity makes me turn myself to face her to the best of my ability. I place both of my hands on her cheeks and use my thumbs to lift her shades off of her face, letting them drop straight down for her to catch in her cupped hands.

"Coco, nothing you say will _**ever**_ break what we've developed as partners and as a team. I promise. Cross my heart, hope to die or I'll poke a Beowulf in the eye."

"Well," Coco starts and places her shades back on. She then takes a moment to place her hands on top of mine to bring them off of her face, allowing her to stand up. "As confident, beautiful, and as amazing of a catch that I am . . . I have a fear of rejection."

"Really? Coco, that's not really something that I can help with. That's like . . . something you need to face to overcome." I explain, twisting my hips so I can keep looking at her while she walks to the door.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg, Bon Bon. I've never had a kiss - and I don't mean a peck - a _**real**_ kiss. Kind of saving it for someone who looks at me for me, y'know? Someone who wants Coco, not _**The Famous Coco Adel**_. Get me? Now, I got some feelings . . . strong feelings for a little bee that keeps buzzing around my coffee beans. I want to ask this person out, but behold! Coco's paralyzed like a rabbit staring into a snake's eyes - no offense."

Coco's analogy makes me roll my eyes and smile. She pokes here and there at the fact that I'm a Faunus just to remind me that none of us care about the team I'm _**Velvet Scarlatina, one helluva gal** _ as Coco says all the time.

"So, you want me to help you ask this person out?" I conclude after hearing her story.

"Yeah, I have their name on this paper right here." Coco fishes through her pocket for a piece of paper that looks like a store receipt based on how wrinkled and white the paper looks. She reaches out to me, holding the paper between two fingers for me to grab.

The moment I take it, she leaves the bathroom. As I unfold the paper and start to read the contents of the receipt, I realize that it's from a clothing store in Vale Plaza that Coco and I like shopping at. It's no surprise that whoever Coco has a thing for would be into the same clothing style. After all, Coco would never date a fashion victim.

I scan down the piece of paper, ignoring the items that were purchased and their prices. Instead my eyes go straight to the bottom of the paper, knowing that these receipts usually have a printed name of the buyer. If the name is supposed to be on the receipt, then of course that's where it'd be.

However, as I reach the bottom of the paper and find the name I thought I was looking for, I told my head and squint with ample amounts of confusion.

"Wait," I say out loud and go back to scan the items that were purchased. "This is . . ." I start to say and look over each item to confirm with myself before I bother continuing.

"Why did she give me my shopping receipt from last week? I thought this was supposed to be . . ."

It takes a little bit longer than it should, but finally everything clicks.

". . . Oh."


	31. The Calm Before The Storm

_**POV: YANG XIAO LONG**_

 _ **Chapter 31 - The Calm Before The Storm  
**_

It's been a long, pleasant day. To the left the sun is just starting to fade behind the tall trees of the Emerald Forest. The scarlet hues that dance across the skies alter and shade the speckles of clouds that look like giant, misshapen popcorns under the sunset. Looking towards the East - my right - the night sky is already beginning to take over. The shattered moon that illuminates the night is already clearly visible, along with all its reforming fragments. Directly ahead of me are the approaching markers of Beacon Academy. Several large pillars can be seen over the horizon, and a landing airship helps indicate just how far we are from campus grounds.

"Come on, Kittycat! There was no way I would've predicted that!"

"The moment's over, Yang. Let's just get back to the room and relax. It's been a good day."

So, the picnic went okay if I do say so myself. I do need to thank Nora, it was a good spot, great day, and probably the only way to get Blake that far out into the Emerald Forest without ruining the surprise. We spent hours laying down together and talking about our days before Beacon. With us being so far from any nosy ears, Blake decided to open up to me . . . about everything. There's nothing in this world that Nora could ask me for that would be too small of a return favor; not after the long, confiding talk Blake and I have had.

"Yeah, it has . . . but I still want another round with that Beowulf! He cut everything short." I groan.

"Well, our talk was over. You can get kisses from me any other time. Possibly on request if you don't push your luck too much."

Blake's currently in front of me. Her hands are behind her back with her right hand holding onto her left wrist while she walks. The way she's sashaying brings a smile to my lips - and no, it's not from the Bellabooty for once. For the first time I can see the happiness radiating off of her steps. The light bounce in her step and the warm smile she gives me every time she looks over her shoulder to talk has me relieved.

"Since when do I push my luck?" I counter, making her spin around to walk backwards while giving me one of her unamused stares, but her grin is so obviously present.

"With every pun." Blake responds, slowing her backpedaling until I catch up to her. "If you make a cat pun to my parents I will hurt you."

"Oooo, so I get to meet Papa Blake and BellaMomma? Really?" With Blake's subtle hint, I wrap my arms around her waist, giving her tight squeeze against my body at the announcement. "I'll be on my best behavior Blake, I promise! This trip will be just us!"

"Obviously." Blake starts to say before pushing her arms between herself and I to force my grip to loosen. I keep forgetting my bearhugs are dangerous. "Menagerie isn't exactly a place for a Schnee . . . and Ruby isn't going to try to come with us just to leave Weiss alone. Though I'd appreciate it if you kept the planning to yourself. It's not that I want to keep it a secret, I just don't want to be given opinions on it, or asked the reason for me wanting to head back, even if it's just for a couple of days."

"No problem, Kittycat. I just can't wait to get a nice shower when we get back! That Beowulf made me break a sweat." I sigh, recalling how a stray Beowulf managed to interrupt Blake and I eating the rest of our sandwiches.

"You were sweating enough from chasing Nora." Blake corrects. "I think I'll join you on the shower, though. I worked up a sweat trying to keep up with the two of you. And on that note." Blake pries herself out my arms and turns around to continue walking.

"Sheesh, in that much of a rush to take a shower?" I ask, "I thought cats were afraid of water."

"I'm more afraid of your BO, Yang . . . I care for you immensely, but my nostrils can't say the same for your scent." Blake says, keeping the same sashay from earlier. "But, a quick shower for the two of us will set everything in the right."

"You mean shower together?" I ask, catching on to what she said earlier at the second mention of a shower for two.

"No ear touching. That's the only rule." Blake is quick to think of a safety condition.

 _ **Only rule?** Blake just made a grave mistake!_

"No ear touches. Deal." I agree, then quickly change the topic so she doesn't rethink herself. "So, do you think your parents would be a little iffy about you dating a girl?"

"Umm . . . I honestly don't know, Yang. Mom and Dad've always been supportive . . . but the way I left and how long it's been . . . I don't know what to expect." Blake explains. She starts to slow down, probably spacing out as she thinks of the different scenarios that could happen when she goes back to Menagerie. From what she's told me, I still don't know much about her parents except that she takes after her mom for the most part. While Blake didn't backtrack all the way to the beginning, she did tell me about how leadership in The White Fang changed, and the cargo robbery that she used as her farewell from her old partner, Adam Taurus.

"We'll handle it when it comes, Blake. I kill 'em with kindness!" I shout to snap her out of her trance.

"You'll kill them with your puns more than likely." Blake counters.

The two of share in a couples of giggles and laughs which eventually leads into the two of us settling for staring at each other, letting our eyes say everything that our mouths can't.

"So, what are we doing for dinner?" I ask, "The team went out without us for dinner last night. Think they'd be willing to have another fancy night out?"

"I'm pretty certain." Blake answers.

We're nearing the dormitories, and our attention starts to waiver from each other to focus on getting into our room. It's been a pretty long walk back, and every minute I start to wonder just how fast me and Nora were running to cover that much distance. The only other time we've been that deep in the Emerald Forest was when Ozpin decided throwing kids into a forest with monsters is an amazing idea.

"Hm . . . How about we use the window?" Blake suggests, using her head to gesture towards the open room window with the tree standing tall next to it.

"Definitely quicker . . . You head up first and make sure I have a landing zone."

Without giving me a verbal confirmation, Blake uses her Gambol Shroud to hook onto one of the highest branches of the tree. With her own momentum she sprints towards the side of the building, allowing her to lift off the ground when her ribbon is at its max length. She then gives a hard pull of her ribbon while kicking off of the wall, giving her the opportunity to start scaling the trunk of the tree while using her ribbon to assist in pulling herself up. Once she's high enough, she unhooks her pistol-blade from the wooden limb and hops onto the windowsill, then carefully climbs inside.

"You're all clear, Yang." Blake calls out almost immediately, and without hesitation I begin the same sprint as her towards the building, but with a much more direct approach, I simply aim my Ember Celica at the ground. The moment I pull the trigger, I feel the heavy recoil send me into the air at a perfect trajectory towards the window. I quickly change my gauntlets into their compact form to free my wrists for the necessary dive roll landing to kill all of my momentum.

Much to my surprise, once I soar through the window, instead of having the ample landing space in the center that I was expecting, Blake is there to catch me with the help of her shadow clone interlocking arms with her in a Red Rover-like position.

"Welcome back you two. How was the picnic?" Weiss questions before I even have a chance to shift myself off of Blake's arm.

"Was good." I answer and turn to my right to look at Weiss, slightly surprised to see the new bed that Winter said wouldn't be here until tomorrow more than likely. Remembering that she also said I would get one as well, I quickly look the other way to see the second queen-sized bed.

 _A picnic, a shower, and a bed just for me and Kittycat. I'm a happy Yang._

When I turn back to Weiss, I take a better look at things and notice that she's sitting at the edge of her and Ruby's bed, and my sister is on the floor while Weiss appears to be absentmindedly combing her hair.

Weiss and Ruby are both half-dressed based on a quick scan over both of them. Weiss is wearing her usual combat outfit, but it's obvious that she's not wearing any socks or her heels. On top of that, her hair is down instead of the usual side-ponytail she's practically trademarked. Ruby on the other hand is in her black bra that has a red outline, and a pair of comfortable black shorts that conservatively cover all the way down to her knees.

"Aw, doing my Baby Sis' hair, Weiss? What kind of hairstyle are you gonna do?" I ask while I shed my jacket and yellow top, leaving me in my boots, backskirt and bra for the time being.

"Just giving her hair a brushing. We just took a shower and I promised Ruby I would comb her hair." Weiss explains. "Besides, it was either that or continue having an awkward conversation on why my sister sent a bottle of wine here for reasons unknown."

"Maybe she sent it for Yang? Yang's the only obvious drinker here." Ruby suggests, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Hurtful." I butt in, not too amused that I'm being singled out as the drinker out of all four of us.

"But it's true." Blake cuts in as well and shrugs her shoulders when I give a defensive glare in her direction. "Let's grab our shower before we both get too tired to do it."

"Weiss! You said you were gonna ask her for me!" Ruby shouts, speaking of for the first time since Blake and I got back.

"It's not an easy thing to ask, Dolt! I think the bed situation is already pushing buttons." Weiss scolds my sister who lowers her head, following with a submissive nod.

"Alright, Ice Queen. Just say it." I shrug and place my arms around the two Blakes who are still at my side. "I have a shower coming up that'll definitely calm me down, so just ask away."

As I squeeze both Blakes against my sides, the one on my left disappears, leaving me with the original laying her head on my right shoulder.

"Ruby wishes to have her first alcoholic experience." Weiss says flatly without breaking stride in combing Ruby's hair.

"And why didn't you tell her 'no' flat out?" I ask out of curiosity. It's clear that Weiss is indifferent if I'm the final say in the matter.

"Because at her age I had my first consumption of alcohol. I can't be a hypocrite to her." Weiss says.

"What do you mean 'at her age'? I'm only two years younger than you!" Ruby shouts, obviously trying to not mention the topic at hand.

"Blake? You're always calling me a bad influence, how about you make the call as Ruby's other big sis?" I ask to my girlfriend who's very comfortable against my side.

"We can all share a bottle . . . I'm curious how an Atlesian wine tastes to be honest." Blake says, but quickly moves upright to add more to the situation. "You know what? How about Ruby and Weiss take a trip to the fairgrounds to get something for all of us to eat. A bowl of ramen, a pizza, whatever's quickest . . . and we can have ourselves a game of truth."

"Truth?" I ask and raise my eyebrow.

"It's Truth or Dare, but without the Dare. We spin a bottle, whoever it lands on takes a fixed drinking amount, and is then asked a question. Should help pass the time." Blake says, then leans towards me to whisper, "and it may also show your sister that drinking can bring forth stories that you would never want others to ear."

"If that's the deal, then Ruby and I will make our trip now." Weiss says, appearing to have just finished with Ruby's hair.

"Yay! I get to have my first drink!" My sister shouts and jumps to her feet.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up before I overrule Blake." I say to Ruby with a smirk. "Eating here sounds like a good idea . . . Here I was ready to suggest we go into town for some grub."

"I wouldn't want to be in Vale tonight. I hear Coco and Velvet are having a slight disagreement . . . it may be a very uncomfortable ride into Vale, and on top of that . . . my sister is having company in my Vale apartment which happens to be near the main street of all the usual restaurants."

"Ooo, your sister find a nice guy in Vale?" I ask, then pause a moment while recalling a conversation I had with Winter earlier today. "Forget it, I know who it is."

"Yeah . . . I think that'd be a little awkward for me too if we saw them." I say to Weiss who nods her head back to me in understanding.

"The Festival should be attracting a lot of drunkards to Vale anyway, so staying in Beacon is my preference." Weiss says while she moves to her closet to get her heels and Myrtenaster. "Ruby and I will be back as quickly as possible."

Ruby decides to throw one of her T-shirts of the Achieve Men on since it's a quick trip to the fairgrounds and back. The moment the two of them leave, Blake and I exchange glares, then at the same time we step towards the bathroom to clean ourselves off of the filth of the day.

"Don't try anything, Yang . . . I'll read my book on the roof instead of staying in the room." Blake warns me.

"Fine, fine. Shower only." I sigh and close the bathroom door behind us so we can get ourselves clean and ready for a nice night of social drinking.


	32. The Fears of a Checkmate

_. . . Shut up, they both require a PhD._

* * *

 _ **POV: Doctor Oz**_

 _ **Chapter 32 -The Fears of a Checkmate**_

"Has she made her decision yet?"

"It's been less than two hours. It'll take time for her to weigh her options."

"We don't have times for a girl to decide what's best for herself or what's best for humanity. If she refuses we lose everything. Who else can we turn to?"

"We took our time deciding on a person that would be best for humanity. If she turns it down . . . then we'll have no choice but to use _**her**_."

". . . Who do you mean by 'her'?"

"The only person who wouldn't say no to you under any circumstances."

"Oz, you're not dragging her into this. She _**can't**_ be dragged into this. What would she do?" I look on from my desk as he paces back and forth. The red-eyed glare he gives me attempts to pierce my glasses and aura until I decide to look down at my cup of coffee.

"That is our very last resort, Qrow. Why do you think Ironwood's assigned his very best to personally guard her?"

"Why not assign his best to our _**first**_ choice?" He argues.

"Because she has all the protection needed being among Beacon's walls. Something is coming soon, and unfortunately I have no clue as to when. I'm being obstructed, and directly attacking someone with the Fall Maiden's powers is _**not**_ a wise decision. Our best option is to wait until-"

"It's too late." Qrow interrupts. "The longer we wait, the more likely Salem is to make her move. We can't sit by and not build our forces. We need _**Huntsman**_ and _**Huntresses**_. If James' armies are the best thing money can buy or manufacture, then a Huntsman is priceless. You know _**she**_ is here, I know she's here. All of us know who we need to worry about. If that's the case then why aren't we making a move!?"

"Because we'll be throwing our Rooks, Bishops and Knights at a Pawn." I respond, then rise from my chair to meet stares with Qrow once more. "This is our _**only**_ winning move. We protect our most important asset, which is undoubtedly the Maiden's power. If we send everything in pursuit of one person, there is no doubt in my mind something or someone will appear from the shadows and strike us from our blind spot should we act with haste. It's not the most productive move to stay still, but it's certainly in our best interest . . . at least until the Fall Maiden is able to move."

"Which is why I don't understand your point in even giving her a choice. This is for the good of Remnant, and you're letting her 'think about it'. What is there to think about, Oz?"

"You want to take an unwilling girl and force her to take control of a great power she may not even want or be ready to wield?" My eyelids lower as I sharpen my stare on Qrow who scoffs at my question.

"She shouldn't be thinking about it, Oz. If she's as 'righteous' and 'pure of heart' as you claim, then why should she be hesitant?"

"Because her pure heart sees how inhumane this idea is. We're desperate, and James has found us a method that may very well keep us safe, but I'll be damned if I could say I support this method one-hundred percent. May Oum forgive us for using such a bastard device." I groan and take another sip of my coffee.

"I'm not too fond of it either, Oz. But we got ourselves a chance. We can't let it pass." Qrow starts to walk towards my desk while he reaches into his jacket pocket to take out his flask. "I'll be damned if I'm letting the sacrifices that've been made go to waste."

With Qrow's words a silence develops between the two of us. Idle sips of my coffee and hard gulps from his flask are the only sounds that manage to break the silence, at least until the elevator door opens and Qrow's special-eyed pupil steps in with Glynda right behind her.

"Hey Mr. Qrow and Doctor Oz." She greets with her usual enthusiasm that's borderline cocky

"She insisted on coming up here to speak with you, Qrow." Glynda speaks up, clearly annoyed at how persistent Qrow's young pupil must have been. She certainly seems like the type to not give up until she gets her way, although her attitude completely changes with Qrow. I assume it must be a mutual respect from facing someone stronger than herself.

"He told me to come up here himself!" She quickly turns around to argue with Glynda; a bold move to say the least - or foolish. "Not my fault he hasn't come down in a few hours. I waited downstairs for at least twenty minutes."

"Stop arguing with Glynda . . . She'll throw you out the window without a second thought." Qrow steps in, gesturing for the faunus girl to come towards him. "What's going on?"

"I'm heading into Vale for the night. I'll be with Ice Queen" She says, gesturing over her shoulder towards the general direction of Vale.

"Who, Rice?"

"Nah, Winter."

"And why are you going into Vale with her? You two already checked in with 'The Seven', what else is there?" Qrow asks. It's at this time that young Miss Hitomi leans up to Qrow's ear to whisper something that makes the man raise an eyebrow.

"So, yeah . . . Give me the clear, come on!"

"Qrow, does she not go anywhere without your approval?" I jump in after realizing all of this is simply to make a request to travel into the city.

"Well, it's not like I check up on her that often. She could get away with it if she wanted to." Qrow shrugs and takes another drink from his flask. With his other hand he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a couple of lien cards and holds them between his index and middle fingers to hand to Miss Hitomi.

"Have a ball. Make sure you buy a good bottle." Qrow says, but the Faunus doesn't even lift a finger towards the lien.

"You know I hate taking handouts. I got enough pooled up from my fights, and I got another one coming up in less than a week." She argues, not wanting to accept Qrow's generosity.

"So you can pay it back when you win, right? Come on, I know you're budgeting . . . just use it to get a slightly better bottle . . . it's a Schnee you're trying to 'wow' after all."

Qrow's comment makes me raise an eyebrow. Especially when the Faunus caves in to that statement and takes the offered lien. With their discussion done, Glynda escorts the young faunus towards the elevator and the two of them leave shortly after.

"She's stubborn as a mule at times, I swear." Qrow shakes his head.

"I would normally agree . . . but you seem to know how to win your arguments with her." I deduce.

"It's not about winning, it's about compromising with her. She'll pay me back . . . she always does. She wouldn't be the person she is today if she didn't feel so obligated to pay back everything she's been given. She's stubborn and independent . . . but she's a good kid."

"Now, what was this that you mentioned about 'The Seven'?" I ask, recalling Qrow's earlier comment.

"I'm surprised James hasn't given away all of the Schnee secrets. Little Ice Queen has her own personal bodyguard . . . an elite group of seven that are supposedly trained in different arts. They're stationed throughout Vale. Their primary objective is to keep Weiss safe."

"I see . . . in other words, Ms Schnee has her own procedure to follow should anything arise."

"Probably . . . but she doesn't seem like the type that wants to abuse her resources." Qrow comments on Weiss' character.

"It's commendable of her, but it's also not wise to ignore the things that offer an edge." I respond.

"You're more than welcome to try changing her mind, Oz. I doubt it'll do any good. I think she hates her father more than I do."

"I will agree that his personality is a put off . . . but I wouldn't say he's worth the word 'hate', Qrow. Although I have no intentions of defending him from his own streak of discrimination."

"Yeah . . . you and me both." Qrow shakes his head in mild disgust.

"Do we have any news on the other Maidens?" I ask to change the topic to something more valuable.

"Nothing solid. I think there's one close to Mistral, but that's all I could find out by hear-say. It's practically a wild goose chase."

"Unfortunately. I think we should get some rest, Qrow. James has assured us his fleet will be on full alert during the night hours. It's best to take advantage of that." I comment. I stand up from my desk, making use of my cane to take a small portion of the weight away from my legs while I walk towards the elevator.

"His fleet makes me more uneasy than our hidden pawn." Qrow remarks while joining me.

"Unfortunately, I think many feel the same way . . . James means well, but his actions may just be the means to an end."

"Let's get you some rest, Oz . . . It's a problem when I'm not the only pessimist around."

* * *

 _ **Quick chapter. Just wanted to squeeze it in. If anything it's more like a .5 chapter, but I think it does the job I want it to do :D Hope it was a decent read.**_


	33. Date Night

_**Still Kreygasming from RTX!  
**_

 _ **I had such a blast this year, and got to see another fellow FF writer that I met last year!**_

 _ **Hey TotoTail!**_

 _ **By the way, I spent like . . . the entire plane ride reading ALL 45 CHAPTERS of her in progress story "Let Me Hear".**_

 _ **It's a pretty nice read that plays the long con with relationship progress. TORTURE IT IS.**_

 _ **Anyway, here's Chapter 33, yes it's the chapter some people have been waiting for, and for others it's a chapter that won't be given two fucks about. Gotta respect opinions, though. So, at the end of this chaper I'm going to put a broken up url . . . It's gonna be a link to my OC's drawwing, which will also have a link underneath the image to her backstory for those who are curious . . . (I made the doc look pretty . . . AT LEAST SAY THE DOC IS PRETTY)**_

 _ **Anyway, as always, please leave a review, give me some feedback . . . Shit's getting dark soon . . . very soon.**_

* * *

 _ **POV: WINTER SCHNEE**_

 _ **Chapter 33 - Date Night**_

" **I'm entrusting you with this task, Schnee. Try not to let her out of your sights."**

" **Yes, General Ironwood. I assure you there will not be an issue."**

" **Good . . . whatever is needed."**

 _Is that the reason I'm doing this? Her company isn't terrible . . . but would I manipulate the emotions of an ally? Now that's not the question, is it?_ **Did** _I manipulate her emotions? Perhaps telling her to forget everything is a better idea. I'm a Schnee after all, I have no need to uphold a reservation should I deem it a waste of time._

". . . But I can't deem her a waste of time." I say out loud. It's approaching the evening, marked beautifully by the vast sunset over Vale's skies. The bright orange hues are complimented by the reflective wax of the Atlesian Fleet circling overhead. "The people of Vale have no idea how fortunate they are to be in the presence of the strongest military power in Remnant."

I'm currently standing in the kitchen, taking the time to prepare a meal that'll expose the brilliance and grace that befits a Schnee. I expect that gamin to leave satisfied and speechless.

The kitchen is decorated with white walls and ice-blue tiles that have a gentle shine to them. In the left corner - furthest from the doorway - is the stove, and to the right of it is a large countertop with a cutting board already in use from earlier. The large countertop sits in between the stove and the sink. The kitchen sink and faucet are both a pure shade of silver that neither shines or appears dull.

On the other side of the sink is more countertop space, although this space is much more ample and is complimented by cabinets overhead. I've taken it upon myself to lay out my needed ingredients on this area, as well as any closed containers in the cabinet above. While the entire house is kept spotless, Weiss still hasn't touched any of her funds that were sent to properly decorate the house in any way she sees fit. I take her lack of interest in this place as her way of showing that she has all intention of being with her team.

Respectable as it is, the sight of that small dorm room haunts my thoughts. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to share a single bathroom.

I'm currently standing in front of the sink, washing some of the vegetables I plan on making into a salad that will serve as an appropriate appetizer. Off to my right on the adjacent wall is a window that gives me a beautiful view of the setting sun. Below that setting sun are several houses that sit across the mildly busy streets of the residential area. While this house offers an amazing view for sunrises, sunsets, and a clear view at the main streets that lead towards the airship, it's still close to a somewhat crowded area. A mere one block walk of less than one-hundred meters North will place me on a crowded street with markets and stores of all shapes and sizes. It's still a mystery to me whether that is supposed to be for convenience or to be a hinderance.

Breaking me from my thoughts is a loud, deep voice that practically calls throughout the house. The robotic tone and monotoned mannerism reminds me that this home was installed with a special system that syncs to any device that is within its walls.

"Incoming call for Winter Schnee from 'Insatiable Gamin'." The voice echoes within the kitchen. The surround sound it was installed with offers an easy time with understanding what is said while keeping it at a volume that is loud enough to hear, but not obnoxious enough to shake the house.

"Put her through." I state with a lack of amusement.

"H-hey, uh . . . so I bought this nice bottle . . . I mean, it's probably complete shit compared to what you normally drink, but I definitely tried! Umm . . . I should be 'round that spot you marked in umm . . . well, less than ten minutes."

Her voice is loud and clear within the kitchen, although the higher quality sound makes it easy to nitpick at an uneasiness in her tone. Knowing the Faunus girl to be nervous is a rarity, so the second guess is she could possibly be in trouble. Unfortunately, I know the pride she has for herself so it's highly unlikely she would admit she's having troubles to me. The only simple option is to trace her call and see if she's in an area that would show a need for help.

"Ugh . . . .Sahsc trace-"

" **My command protocal was last changed over two years ago. New name: Osiris"**

 _Osiris? I suppose she did stop by here then . . . Perhaps her first few days weren't as easy as she thought it would be._

"I see . . . Osiris, trace call. Display location on holomap of Vale." I command while I continue to cut the ingredients for the salad.

"Osiris? Who the hell is that?" The cheetah Faunus asks, but immediately gets side-tracked by someone who has taken a glimpse her way. "Look at my legs again! These thighs don't save lives!"

I choose to ignore her ranting and make short work in finishing with preparing the salad ingredients, knowing a bit of proper mixing and distribution along with the assistance of a few condiments buy time for the real meal to finish.

 _Speaking of which . . ._

I take a moment to peek below the stovetop, glancing through the oven window to see that the dish is almost ready. I didn't want to do anything too 'upper class', knowing things of that category will probably be ill received or greeted with skepticism. Instead I decided a mildly popular dish from Vacuo shall do the job nicely.

" **Signal located, displaying now."**

The lights in the kitchen dim slightly, and over my shoulder a 3D replica of Vale is displayed over my shoulder. The hologram takes up about half the floor and within it I can clearly make out a red dot that marks the scroll signal of the incoming guest. Much to my surprise she's only four or so blocks away, and with her speed she could easily be here within a minute.

"You're not far away at all. Why do you need ten minutes to arrive?" I ask. "Terminate display."

"It's a really long fuckin' story. Can we talk about it over a drink?" She groans and grunts while the kitchen lights turn back on and the hologram disappears.

"If my invitation is that much of an inconvenience, you are more than welcomed to turn around." I respond, expecting her to get defensive, but her reaction isn't as entertaining as I would think it to be.

"It ain't an inconvenience, Ice Queen. Look, I'll speed it up a bit, but if my outfit gets ruined, I don't wanna hear shit from you. Was hard enough getting the damn thing to sit right."

Without offering me a chance to respond, I hear the sound of the scroll being hung up, leaving me in wild bewilderment at her shorter temper. I've learned that she enjoys to go back and forth in an argument; it's practically second nature to her. For her to not only hang up, but also submit to my hint that she's taking too long makes me wonder if something is bothering her. Of course I can ask her on arrival, but depending on her mood I may need to have different approaches at the ready.

"Osiris, have the oven maintain an optimal temperature. Adjust as needed." I command.

I step out of the kitchen and into the living room to give it a quick look over to assure everything is well placed. Since Weiss decided to not use the home Father graciously supplied her with, I have had the unfortunate task of furnishing portions of the house myself. The living room being the biggest chore.

The private two story home is upper-middle class at best, but it offers a surprising amount of room that can home a single person quite well without leaving a feeling of being smothered by a lack of space. The living room is possibly double the size of Team RWBY's and I've taken the liberty of having the floors properly tended to, assuring the shellacked wood looks its best and has a glimmer that befits a residence visited by a Schnee.

As for furniture, an L-shaped leather sofa occupies the corner of the room furthest from the kitchen in the distant right corner. To accompany the furniture, a large glass table with a marble frame sits in front of the furniture with a single vase resting on the center of the table. Within the vase is nothing but warm water going halfway up the hourglass-like curve of the decoration.

To my immediate right is the main entrance to the home. The rather small entryway has blue walls and a crystal chandelier overhead. The small entryway being where visitors can take umbrellas, extra clothes, and shoes and remove them from their person.

To my left, ample wall space leaves the room feeling slightly bigger, but lacking in decoration as well. That of course is done on purpose, but the attention to detail does make me believe I should have its purpose shown for the sake of a first impressions.

"Osiris, turn on living room display. Utilize directions one through four."

At my command, a small device latched onto the ceiling of the living room comes to life. The empty white wall is then decorated with a brightening projection that becomes less and less tangible the longer the device has to warm up.

At first a single image is displayed of the Schnee Crest before it transitions to a set of simple instructions

 _ **Shoes off at the door**_

 _ **Do not enter the kitchen for any reason**_

 _ **I will get the glasses should we need any**_

 _ **I'd prefer you to watch your language**_

So perhaps the last isn't an instruction, but a preference. Regardless, if she can comply with those four ground rules, I believe it can be a relaxing couple of hours.

I'm somewhat interested to see how the alleycat will present herself. She seems to be walking instead of running, and it sounds like she's wearing a new outfit for the occasion. I suppose the possibility of me wearing a dress made her step her game up. To be quite honest, the dress I chose to adorn is far from my best. In fact it's something I wear because it's comfortable.

If anything, it closely resembles an outfit my younger sister has yet to wear as of late.

My outfit is nothing to frown upon, however. As a base, a conservative sweetheart neckline helps bring a small amount of attention to my neck and the small amount of exposed flesh above my chest. The top of the dress is beautifully accented with silver while the rest is primarily white.

As the dress passes my waist, it begins to change to an icey blue with very slight specs of what on top of the design becoming more and more see-through. The skirt leads all the way down to the floor, but is perfectly tailored to not brush against the floor should I choose to walk barefoot. Along the right side of the dress, starting off near the mid-thigh is an opening that helps expose my right leg just enough to draw attention to my toned calves which are further accentuated by the white stiletto heels I've chosen to wear for the evening.

Not wanting to show too much skin, however, I've taken to Weiss' tactic of wearing something similar to a bolero. A white shrug rests over my shoulders and neck, covering my upper back and arms as well. The shrug matches the primary color of the dress, adapting an icy blue as it nears my wrists, as well as maintaining the silver lining that accents the exposed flesh that is above my chest, but below the neck. In order to keep the shrug closed properly, a red jeweled brooch is used to hold the outfit together as well as maintain the colors of The Atlesian Military.

"I suppose this should bring everything together." I say to noone in particular.

I reach for the back of my head, opting to free my hair from the tightly organized bun I've favored as a hairstyle. Upon joining the Atlas Military, I was made to cut my hair to avoid any combat hindrances, since then I've slowly been growing it back, but concealing its true length by constantly keeping it in a well-kept bun.

"I need a mirror." I declare.

I make my way to the entryway and stand within the small rom only because of a tall mirror that matches my height sits on the adjacent wall. With my bun removed I start to comb down my locks, noting that not a single tangle exists within the silk porcelain strands. Out of curiosity I direct all of my hair to fall down my back, then turn my profile towards the mirror to see that my hair is probably one or two inches passed the scapula.

Satisfied with my appearance, I walk back into the living room and move towards the L-shaped sofa to take my seat. I cross my right leg over my left, using the slit in the outfit to my advantage by allowing my right leg to be exposed all the way up to the mid-thigh while I patiently await the tardy faunus who should be arriving any second.

Sure enough, less than two minutes pass before I hear the front door open and a set of rapidly moving footsteps make themselves known in the entryway. I expect her to dart into the living room rather abruptly, but much to my surprise it seems she saw the display as intended. I can hear the loud sounds of footwear being tossed around, and by how light the sound is, I assume them to be flats of some kind.

"No shoes . . . better than heels, that's for sure." I can hear the faunus talking to herself. "Alright . . . Think I'm good."

I watch as the orange-haired faunus steps through the doorway, but her attire completely catches me off guard. Unlike my dress, her outfit clings to her sides and does everything possible to flaunt her hips as it's meant to. The outfit itself is black and if it had to placed in a single category, it would qualify as a low cut tube top dress that leads down to the mid-thigh. However, to further 'flaunt' her faunus heritage, there is an abundance of orange circles, expressing a cheetah pattern with the colors inverted.

"How kind of you to finally make it. I speak up, making the faunus jump, nearly making her drop the large bottle of wine she's cradling in her arms.

"Fuck! Don't scare me! This shit is more expensive than my entire wardrobe!" The loud-mouthed tomboy speaks up before she turns her head to look in my direction, further stunning me. The messy mane I've come to tolerate appears to have been smoothened out by the best stylist money could buy. I can't detect a single tangle or split end at first glance, and the fact that her hair has been straightened properly makes me realize her bangs practically touch her shoulder from the right side of her face, and along the left side she's taken to curling a portion of her hair over her ear to avoid the need to cut it.

 _She actually looks . . . presentable._

"So, uh . . . where can I put this puppy down?" She asks and holds out the bottle she's been cradling to her torso like an infant.

"On the table is fine . . . I must say, you clean up well. The outfit expresses who you are very well." I compliment, but of course she manages to take my compliment in the wrong direction.

"Oh, hardy har. Cheetah print 'cause I'm a faunus." She declares while carefully placing the bottle down. Despite her wearing a dress, she still has the boyish walk in her step, and the way she short hops to land on the sofa with her arms spread and resting on the top of the furniture reminds me of nothing more than a middle-aged slob getting ready to watch sports.

"No," I correct, "It hugs your figure and is relatively short . . . it points to your flirtatious nature and confidence. Your hair is much more presentable as well, I'm curious to know where you had it done."

"Do I lose points if it ain't a fancy place?" She asks, completely ignoring my earlier compliment. Now I remember why she's irritated me during my attempts to converse with her.

"As long as it's the truth? No." I respond and fold my arms while I await to know who was able to tackle the faunus' mane.

"Snow Angel did it." Feels a little weird . . . didn't know my hair went this far passed my shoulders. I might actually start-

 _So Weiss decided to help . . . it must have been a big pride-swallow for her to accept it._

-but it's whatever. If it gets all tangled up again I'll be fine."

"I figured you would have learned your lesson on conversation by now." I sigh and rise to my feet, hoping that she'll pay more attention to my outfit now that it's completely in view.

"What? I just got here and you're already-"

 _Finally._

The orange-haired cheetah faunus stops mid sentence while her left eye starts to scan over my outfit. At first her focused stare brings me to a minor retreat, but when her gaze lifts and she makes eye contact, I start to feel less like I'm being undressed in the perverse fantasy within her mind and more like my outfit was being admired.

"Looks good. Heels really bring out the calves. Hair down looks great on you, too." She says, noticing the change in my hairstyle much to my surprise.

"I'm surprised you noticed my hair." I admit, my arms shifting behind my back in the usual stance I've adapted since joining the ranks of the Atlesian special unit.

"I've combed out Sunflower's hair enough to recognize when someone does a change. You should see the face she makes when some of her hair comes out with a tangle." The faunus starts to laugh. "It's hilarious!"

"Must you constantly mentioned her!?" I snap suddenly and make my way into the kitchen. "Have you no clue on how to speak to a lady? You're just as bad as my suitors!"

"What the hell is the problem with me telling a story!?" She shouts from the living room, but soon enough makes her appears in the kitchen doorway.

"You compliment me, you make your advances that I admit are _**not**_ terrible, but then you go on and on about your former! If you have so many amazing stories to tell, why are you not attempting to get her back from Belladonna? Why do you instead make attempts at tugging strings that I forgotten could be tugged? Strings I desire to be cut and left alone."

"What are you going on about? I'm talking about _**my**_ experiences. Stupid shit that _**I've**_ gone through. So what if Sunflower's part of the memory? Everything before her was complete shit!" The faunus shouts, further angering me.

"Well if your life was that worthless prior to meeting Xiao Long, why aren't you up at Beacon attempting to be closer to her!?"

"Because I'm tryin'a talk to you, for fuck's sake!"

"Then tell me about yourself, your schooling, your family, your ambitions!" I bite back.

 _Why am I so angry? When did I get this angry?_

"I'm trying to forget who the fuck I am! Fuck my parents, fuck my schooling, fuck my ambitions, and fuck those racist tarts out there!" Her screaming leaves her face red, and her orange iris changing colors from its normal tint to a yellowish color. "If you knew _**me, the real me**_ , the _**useless BITCH**_ that grew up in Vale. The stupid, naive girl that thought she could make a difference! Even I laugh at what a stupid bitch I was!"

Normally her screams would bring me to yell back, but the longer she screams and rants, the more visible the shaking in her body becomes. I expect it to just be the adrenaline rushing through her, but as time goes on and her facial expression morphs, I start to see it's not adrenaline, but the remembrance of painful memories.

"You want to know me? Fine . . . open that fucking bottle."

The faunus turns away and disappears in the living room, leaving me wondering what I'm about to hear, and why the mere mention of Xiao Long's nickname has sparked a fire in me with so little effort. I don't hate Xiao Long, in fact I appreciate and respect her value of helping others.

"What is this Faunus doing to me?"

* * *

 ** _imgur,com/ONPP4mD (Just change the comma with a period, derp.)_**


	34. Final Preparations

_**We're getting closer.**  
_

* * *

 _ **POV: NEO**_

 _ **Chapter 34 - Final Preparations**_

"Is everything ready on your end, Mercury?" Cinder's voice speaks up from within my ear. The small intercom keeping me in touch with the rest of the team . . . or at least keeping them in touch with me.

"Heh, we have at least 30 290-Paladins over here. Did a check on each one personally, and everyone who is meant to man them are a minute or less away."

"Good. Emerald, where is Ironwood?"

"He's in Ozpin's office. His airship is down. One guard is out front. Human."

"I see, Neo will be there shortly. Let's reunite our favorite tri-colored killer with her old friend. Neo, you know where to deploy."

I nod my head, although nobody can see the gesture from where I'm at. The beautiful sunset over the eastern part of Vale has just ended, leaving me a dimming view of Vale, and a beautiful moonlit view of Beacon Academy. From atop the eastern dormitories I can see the large airship that's been landed for Ironwood's recent departure. Since that's Ironwood's ship, that also means that Roman is inside. My job isn't to break him out - not yet at least. No, I need to memorize every detail of the ship, know where the front and back rooms, and especially know how to get from Roman to the main control room. Cinder has not stopped stressing how important it is for me to have everything done in less than forty five seconds. Any longer and the rest of the operation gets delayed which could ruin the quick strike and massive amount of chaos we want to create.

 _Well, I guess that's my cue . . . Vani . . . you're up._

A smile crosses my lips as I walk to the edge of the four story dorm. Without hesitation I walk off the edge with my arms spread apart. My body tilts to angle my head straight down towards the floor where gravity begins to accelerate and lead me into suicide dive onto the concrete below. I close my eyes for a brief moment, then open them to hear the maniacal giggles of my childish manifestation.

" _Neo! It's not nice to rush me like this!"_ She objects to me practically forcing her out with the threat of me being injured.

As I near the ground I swear I can see the blades of grass and the sight of a ladybug resting on the long green weed. I close my eyes, my nose tickling from being brushed by the green grass, but when I open my eyes I'm in front of Emerald who is leaning against a tree to keep herself hidden while she watches Ironwood's ship.

"Neo's on site." Emerald speaks into her intercom. I decide to stay a couple of feet away from her so our microphones don't cause interference.

"Neo, are you ready?" Cinder asks.

Unsure of what to do I place my index finger to the microphone and give it two quick taps - our old way of answering yes or no questions.

"Good, Emerald has a camera for you. You are to wear it on the front of your uniform - Emerald will show you the appearance you need to take - I'll be directing you through the ship. There are three different holding cells, we need to be sure which one Roman is in."

After Cinder's explanation, Emerald holds out her scroll to show me a mannequin wearing the Atlas Military uniform from different angles. I take careful notice of each detail, then do my best to copy it with the assistance of my base semblance. Emerald gives me a thumbs up, signalling that everything looks up to par. Before anything else can be said, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small device she carefully clips onto the collar of my uniform. I assume that's the camera Cinder mentioned.

"I've used my semblance on the first guard. You can walk right by him." Emerald tells me and gives me a slap on the back to get me going.

I decide to disguise my parasol as something ordinary for someone of the Atlas military to have: a combat rifle. Despite the illusion, I still need to make sure the form it takes matches _**most**_ of the physical features, forcing me to shape it more like a rifle or shotgun as opposed to the standard rifles most Atlesian Knight-200s are known for.

As I walk up to the guard who practically towers over me in terms of height, he quickly offers his salute to let me pass. "Welcome aboard, Miss Schnee!" The guard shouts, making me curious on who Emerald made me look like to avoid a facial inspection from the guard.

I shrug my shoulders and continue my walk inside, looking at the small hallway that offers me an option of going in two directions. I don't want to get too close to anybody to avoid them seeing me, but Emerald's illusion gives me the idea to make my hair completely white. It'll blend with the military uniform much better than the natural tri-color that's part of my namesake.

"Turn right and continue straight ahead. Holding cell 2 is the closet. Avoid dispatching anyone . . . if need be, kill them and hide the body. Don't leave a trace of an intrusion." Cinder commands as I walk down the narrow hallway.

Each step I take sounds like I'm stepping on a catwalk, and the room I have to walk isn't as much as I'd like. If I lean too far to the left or right - which forces me to avoid the natural sway in my shoulders and hips that Cinder believes I do on purpose to flirt with her - I end up bumping into the bland, silver walls.

After about ten paces I notice a door sitting on both sides of me, and this pattern continues with each fixed distance of ten paces. If I had to guess, each of these rooms are more-than-likely to be living quarters, bathrooms, and any other basic necessity that a person would need as opposed to what a military needs. Without a doubt the bigger rooms will be the Captain's Quarters, the engine room, control room, bridge, and possible the holding cells. If I had to guess, the holding cells should be in or near areas of high traffic to assure that someone is near or watching their prisoners at all time. Hopefully Roman's been annoying enough that they leave him alone to not deal with his mouth.

"Last door on your right . . . check it." I continue to walk ahead, seeing the end of the hallway that most likely splits into two more directions. I continue walking slowly and calmly, listening for any footsteps or voices that may be coming from in front or behind me. The hallway is decently lit with strips of light above each doorway that assures everything is nicely illuminated. At the end of the hall at the door Cinder told me to check I can see a different colored light. While all the other ones are the standard white with the artificial hue, that one is slightly red.

 _Well, if they have to mark it as a room not to enter . . . then I guess entering it is good idea._

As I approach the large sliding door, a holographic keypad appears in front of me. Unsure of what to do, I lean forward, making sure the camera can see the keypad clearly.

"1 1 5," Cinder starts, "That should be the proper code."

I enter the three digit number and hastily press enter. The red light above the door turns green and the sliding door opens immediately. As I enter the room I can see it's actually one of the main control rooms, but at the very back there's a small holding cell the size of a closet. The only method of peeking in is a peeping hole near the top that I'm about a foot too short to reach.

Instead, I move next to the cell and take a deep breath, trying to remember the proper code.

 _I think it's . . . .one two . . . one . . . one two three._

I take a deep breath and start tapping on the wall, checking to see if it's Roman . . . or possibly someone else that knows the code.

 _ **-. / . / -**_

 _There . . . that's N - E - O_ I say while I tap, believing I've done the proper rhythm.

 _ **.-.**_

 _Three taps, second one longer . . . that's an R_

 _One tap, solid . . . T_

 _ **.-**_

 _W? . . . Why would there be a . . . ohhhh, Roman TorchWick._

I smile to myself after knowing that it's Torchwick on the other side of the wall. I decide to take off the camera and turn it to face me. I give it a thumbs up, earning Cinder's voice to greet my ear.

"Seems we got lucky on the first try . . . Toss your intercom into the cell."

On command I take out my earpiece and hold it up to the peephole. I start to wiggle my hand to draw attention before I feel silky strands of hair brushing against my digits.

 _His arms must be tied up . . ._

After a bit of effort, the two of us coordinate properly to get my fingers near his ear to place the device in, only for a very faint snicker to be heard from beyond the cell.

"Guards been talking . . . they're alert." I hear Roman whisper.

" _So, when are we gonna break out Mr Torchwick?"_

Vanilla's voice completely startles me, making me bang my head against the cell wall when I jump.

 _Ow! Why can't you just stay quiet!? This is serious!_

I lean my parasol against the wall of the cell, sighing as Vanilla responds while I rub the part of my head I hit.

" _Duh, I've been quiet the whole time, haven't I? I thought you may want someone to talk to since your earpiece is gone . . . I know you get lonely."_

 _. . . I appreciate the thought . . . but please . . . I'm really on edge being in here. No clue when someone might-_

My own thought is cut off when I can hear the sliding door of the room begin to open. Without thought I tap into Vani's semblance and bring myself into the cell with Torchwick, thankfully landing on his lap with a bright white flash.

The room is small and cramped. There's hardly enough space for me to be seated on his lap without having to press myself against the locked door to give myself some room to bend my legs a little bit.

"I know ya missed me kid . . . but this is a little too close." Roman hisses out.

In the darkness I can barely make out his face, but his orange locks are easy to distinguish, as well as the lack of his trademarked hat. While his back is against the furthest wall of the cramped cell, my legs are set at either side of his, forcing them to be spread while my rear is firmly planted on his knees. Before he can utter another word I push my hand firmly to his mouth, silencing him with my palm when a set of footsteps starts to grow closer from outside.

"Is that you, Woody? It's been so lonely without you." Roman calls out. To my surprise the footsteps soon grow faint and the sound of the door sliding shut gives me a sense of safety.

"Guard came in . . . Neo's practically straddling me . . . She did it to hide . . . Of course, gorgeous. Time for you to skedaddle, kid. Take your earpiece back."

I carefully lean forward to take the earpiece from him. It's then that I notice a few slight changes in detail from Torchwick. His left eye is swelled up, his breathing is coming out in slight wheezes, and as expected his arms are bound behind his back. To make things worse, the scent that's coming off of his body that I pick up on when I lean closer completely blindsides my nose, making me ricochet back to shield myself from the foul odor.

"Way to make me feel good, Kid." Roman rolls his eyes and sighs. "I'll take three showers when I'm out of here . . . now get going." He says with authority. I quickly reach back to his ear and snag my earpiece, then without another word I use Vanilla's semblance to exit the ship, bringing me back to where Emerald was standing, but this time without the experienced pickpocket in sight.

I quickly place my earpiece back in and start tapping it for someone to respond, preferably Emerald.

"Above you." Her voice greets my ear, and within that instant I tilt my head back to see her laying on a tree branch, easily blending in with the leaves thanks to her hair color and outfit "Neo's in the clear."

"Good, you didn't leave any evidence behind, did you, Neo?" Cinder asks. I look up at Emerald and give a thumbs up, prompting her to answer for me.

"She said we're good. What's next?"

"Emerald, you're to meet up with Mercury in Vale. The two of you are going to rendezvous with Adam. He still needs to pack another airship with an ursa . . . His lieutenant has just re-joined his ranks after the incident with our Mountain Glenn 'cargo'. This will add nicely to our plan."

"How?" Mercury speaks up. I forgot he has an intercom.

"Well, according to Adam . . . His Lieutenant has the highest body count amongst the White Fang's ranks . . . He doesn't hesitate when it comes to killing a human."

 _Are they talking about Banesaw? The same Lieutenant that was the only one to ever even glance at my direction at Mountain Glenn? He doesn't seem like a person that could commit genocide . . . Even I avoid killing unless it's absolutely necessary._

" _Not everyone's as thoughtful as you are, Neo. You make things quick and painless . . . unless Coco's helping."_ Vanilla laughs, talking to me in her unphased, giddy tone. " _Besides, for all we know, he could owe his life to Adam . . . Just like you'll kill_ _ **anybody**_ _to make Cinder smile."_

For once a shiver erupts through my spine at that thought. Cinder hasn't had me kill many . . . in fact, she leaves that form of dirty work to Mercury . . . but if she had me constantly carrying out assassinations, could I really continue to kill without a second thought?

"Neo." Cinder's voice jumps into my ear. "You've done well. You may go and rest."

Without any thought I take the intercom out of my ear and hand it to Emerald. When she takes it out of my hand I immediately port myself to Cinder's room. The brunette leader, expecting my appearance is already sitting on her bed with a pillow on her lap.

"I'll check in with you two later tonight . . ." Cinder says and turns off her microphone. "Neo."

The moment she says my name my face lights up in happiness. I allow my illusion to diminish, returning to my normal tri-colored theme while I pace over to the seated sadist and make a move to lay my head on her lap.

"You did well . . . Be ready for tomorrow, everything needs to be perfect." Cinder says in a hushed tone. When I lay my head down on the pillow, her left hand idly strokes through my hair, easing me into sleep much faster than normal.

However, it's at the moment when I'm at peace, when there's nowhere I'd rather be that something dawns on me. I keep myself calm, knowing there's possibly a way to fix it, but the worry continues to eat its way into my mind.

I left my parasol aboard the ship.


	35. The Teenagers Play Their Part

_**POV: BLAKE BELLADONNA**_

 _ **Chapter 35 - The Teenagers Play Their Part**_

"Alright, Kittycat. How do we do this?"

"Someone spins the bottle, whoever it lands on takes a shot and is then asked a question from the spinner. It's just like Spin the Bottle . . . just no dares." I explain.

The four of us are seated on the floor, all in our standard pajamas. Yang is in her usual black shorts and yellow tank top, I'm favoring my yukata, Weiss is in her ice-blue nightgown, and Ruby is in a black T-shirt with strawberry-patterned pajama pants to compliment.

To my left is Yang, to my right is Ruby, and directly across from me ins Weiss. The suggestion of the game was purely to have something to do. Ruby wants to have her first go at alcohol, and I guess it's nothing too major. Even Weiss admits that she's tested her ability to drink at Ruby's age, and I'm not far off either. We're supposed to be her friends, not her parents, and as a friend I figured she should get her chance to try it, but only within the safety of our dorm room. The game makes certain she won't go anywhere, and allows us all to analyze the kind of drunk she is for future reference.

"Alright! I'll start it then." Yang declares and reaches for the glass soda bottle she just managed to finish. The rapid spinning and slight ruffling sound of the glass on our red rug makes my ears twitch underneath my bow.

"Annnnnd, Weiss! Rate the three of us from 1-10 based on 'sex appeal', 'personality' and 'cuteness'!." Yang declares.

"That's . . . a bit much, don't you think?" Weiss questions then looks towards me while I pour the white wine into a small shot glass I normally use for my rare consumption of sake.

"If you'd rather change to Truth or Dare, we could do that." I say, letting Weiss know I'm not against lengthy questions if it means we can avoid any of Yang's dares.

"Ugh!" Weiss groans and takes the shot glass from me when it's offered. She takes her time sipping on the liquid, savoring its taste while Ruby looks on with obvious desire to have a drink herself. When Weiss is done she places the shot glass next to the empty bottle we're using, allowing me to take it back while she proceeds to answer the question.

"I guess I'll start with Ruby." Weiss sighs. "6, 8, 10. In that order."

"Wait what?" Yang asks, not realizing what Weiss just said.

"Sex appeal, personality, cuteness . . . Those were Ruby's ratings." I explain, although at that announcement Ruby starts to pout.

"Why do I only get a 6 in appeal!? I'm sexy and stuff . . ." Ruby starts to trail off. It appears she's realized her shortcomings when she looks down at her own chest and peeks into her black T-shirt. ". . . Oh."

"Sorry, Dolt . . ." Weiss lowers her head then continues. "Blake . . . no, let me go with Yang . . . 8, 6, 6"

With Weiss' announcement of her scoring of Yang, the blonde brawler appears to be immensely offended.

"What gives, Weiss? Those are low!" Yang shouts.

"You're loud and inconsiderate and it takes you far too long to place yourself in the shoes of others to show proper empathy . . . that's what lowers your personality points . . . and you're not really that cute . . . you're far too barbaric." Weiss explains, and I guess with the version of Yang she has to deal with, it's not an unfair rating.

"So what's Blake's?" Yang asks, curious what our resident Schnee has to say about me.

"9, 9, 9" Weiss' cheeks flush slightly and the heiress makes a point of not looking my way.

My own cheeks start to flare a bit at the high ratings Weiss' just gave me. It's always nice to be complemented.

"Blake has a . . . confidence in her walk and a look in her eyes that go hand in hand. She's quiet and dependable as well . . . She's kept my secrets until I've exposed them myself, and knows when things need to be taken seriously . . .which is something you two _**can**_ do, but choose to delay." Weiss explains, but Yang still wants to nitpick at the rating.

"And why the 9 for cuteness?" The blonde asks with folded arms, still unhappy that her rating was so low.

". . . I have a fondness for cats." Weiss sighs and reaches forward to spin the bottle before she can be interrogated any further.

 _Fondness for cats but she's the only one to never comment on my ears? I guess she's just trying to be respectful . . or figured Ruby and Yang do it enough . . . Yeah, Yang does it enough for sure._

Ironically, the next person the bottle lands on is me which leads Weiss to make a brief moment of eye contact before turning away once more. I'm unsure why she's so embarrassed about liking my faunus trait. Ruby and Yang have expressed their admiration for my cat ears many times.

 _May as well have fun with it._

I decide to take off my ribbon, treating the two sisters to my fluffy ears wiggling from the lack of warmth granted from my ribbon. The slight squeal that Ruby makes draws Weiss to look back and see my ears. Now knowing her admiration for felines, I keep my eyes on her, noting a very slight crook in her lips indicating she's holding back a smile.

"Blake," Weiss begins, seems to have regained her composure for the time being, "what's your favorite kind of toy?"

 _. . . That's rather . . . sexual._

"Well . . . I tend to favor BadDragon . . . they're sizable, but the experience is something you can't pass up." I say. Out of everyone, Yang is the only one staring at me and Weiss has her scroll in hand. I assume she got a message that she needs to answer, meaning I will probably need to repeat my answer.

"Bad . . . dragon." I hear her mutter. "What!? Blake, I meant like a ball or . . . ANYTHING BUT THESE" Weiss screams and quickly throws her scroll over her shoulder for it to land on the shorter duo's new bed.

"Be more specific next time." I shrug. Sharing something like that isn't too much of a big deal since it's my teammates. Besides, I expect more inappropriate questions to start coming out as the night progresses.

"Blake, what's Bad Dragon?" Ruby leans over to ask me.

"When you're older." I say flatly, watching the bottle stop on the small crimsoness. "But for now, here's your first drink."

As I'm about to pour into the shot glass, I decide to hand the glass and the wine bottle to Yang, figuring Ruby's sister should be the one to have the honors. Not so surprisingly, Yang pours as close to the very top as possible before handing the drink over to Ruby who hesitantly sniffs the liquid, then takes her first baby sip.

Weiss, Yang, and I all exchange smiles and glares while we wait for Ruby to indulge herself, but the crimsoness settles for sipping the liquid down with moments of facial cringing and hums of enjoyment to the flavor being offered. It's not until she finishes the glass and places it at my side that I remember I need to ask her a question.

 _I'll keep it simple for now . . . when she starts to slur I'll prod harder._

"So, Little Red, if you were to date anybody else from Beacon that **isn't** in teams RWBY and JNPR, who would it be?"

"Oooo, good one, Blakey." Yang compliments before leaning in to listen for her sister's response.

To my surprise, Ruby seems to be putting a lot of thought into the question and doesn't seem to be caught off guard at all. Infact, it's almost like she's treating it like a life or death situation.

"If I _**had**_ to . . . I think Velvet. She seems really sweet and caring, and her bunny ears are so adorable!" Ruby bounces where she's sitting. "They're so big and fluffy and I just want to pet them!"

 _If only everyone saw the faunus as 'cute'._

Satisfied with her answer, Ruby spins the bottle. While it's spinning I can see Weiss idly place her hand down halfway between herself and Ruby. As expected, the Crimsoness places her right hand on top of Weiss', allowing the two to interlock their digits.

 _I wonder, did that question make Weiss a little jealous?_

"Big sis! Name the hottest _**guy**_ _in Beacon!_ " Ruby shouts the moment the bottle stops.

"I'll go with Ren. He's got the calm, cool and collective thing down." Yang says without any hesitation and goes on to spin the bottle. While it's spinning she pours herself a cup and drinks, finishing before the bottle has a chance to stop.

"Ice Queen!"

"Could you please stop calling me that already?"

"Who kisses you better, me or Rubes?"

 _What?_

"When did you kiss Weiss?" I ask, caught slightly off guard by the question, probably more than Weiss who is blushing up a storm.

"It's a long story, Kittycat . . .but I got Rubes permission for-"

"My question was _**when**_ , Yang." I repeat, my glare sharpening on the Blonde Brawler of Beacon.

"Y-yesterday night, Kittycat . . . After I laid you down to sleep. I didn't think it'd be a bother." Yang tries to defend, but I'm already moving to my feet to walk towards her while she tries to crab walk away.

"Yang, the further you move, the worse it gets." I warn her.

The threat is enough to make her stop in her tracks and cover her face up while she awaits my action. When I get close enough that I can step over her legs, I kneel with my knees planted on either side of her torso. I then work on prying her arms away from her face which doesn't take much effort. I pin her arms above her head and lean down, looking into her softened, somewhat fearful lilac stare.

" _ **Why?**_ "

"F-For our date I was well . . . I just needed a little extra lien to make sure I could p-pay for everything. W-Weiss gave me some . . ." Yang stutters during her explanation.

"That explains a lot." I sigh and stand up. "Yang, anytime something happens like that . . . you're supposed to tell me. A kiss behind my back is- was it mouth-to-mouth?"

Yang nods her head, still not moving from her position on the floor.

"A kiss like that behind my back is essentially cheating on me." I continue after making sure it was a kiss that warrants that form of warning. "I know Weiss wouldn't cheat on Ruby . . . but that's beyond the point."

"Y-you're not mad about the date money?" Yang asks, surprised at what my focus was.

"Yang . . . I knew those autograph tickets cost way too much for you to handle. I was going to ask Weiss about it after the tournament." I admit while I go back to my seat so we can continue. "Anyway . . . let's get back to our game."

When Yang finds the courage to inch back into our circle (square), all eyes fall on Weiss who hasn't uttered a word or moved much since the question was asked.

 _Hm . . . this may be interesting._

"Weiss?" Ruby tugs on her girlfriend's hand, trying to get the heiress' attention with little result. "Weiss, I know Yang is older than me and well . . . way more experienced than me. I'm not gonna get mad or jealous, so be honest. You're _**mine**_ after all."

It's adorable seeing Little Red getting possessive, and this instance that possessiveness also has a heavy amount of trust placed into Weiss. It's the same trust I can place into Yang.

"Come on, Ice Queen . . . all the way to the top for you." Yang declares, filling the shot glass up to the brim.

Weiss carefully reaches out with her right hand to take the glass, then slowly starts to down the entire cup. When she's done, her eyes close and a loud, slow inhale is made from her nose then exhaled from her mouth.

"Yang was better." The heiress finally answers. I suspected that needed to be the case if she was so hesitant to answer. Immediately after answering, Weiss reaches for the bottle to spin it, but to sate my own curiosity, I reach down and stop Weiss' hand.

"How did she kiss you? What made it better than Little Red?" I ask.

"C-Can you not ask me that it was just . . . different." Weiss says, trying to avoid the subject.

"You can answer it now, or the next time you're forced to drink. Your choice."

"She . . . " Weiss starts, but continues to struggle with her words on the topic. "She just . . . I don't know! The brute pinned me to the floor!" Weiss groans as she recalls the event.

"She what?" I raise an eyebrow and slowly turn my head to Yang who scoots back once more.

"Not like that, I mean it was like that but . . . When she did it I felt safe. I was nervous and kind of freaked out, but she calmed me down, waited until I was ready to accept it, then was . . . gentle." Weiss' face continues the darken, the blush even spreading to portions of her jaw. "She kissed me like I was a fragile doll . . . Her aura felt so warm, and I just . . . I . . ."

"There was no tongue, Blakey." Yang jumps in. "Just lip contact . . . was maybe ten seconds, most likely less . . . I used my aura to help calm her down . . . She was blushing up a storm after." Yang summarizes. Satisfied with their story, I move my hand off of Weiss' allowing the heiress to spin the bottle.

The night continues with question after question being barraged on each other. Yang is starting to snicker at nearly everything, indicating she's approaching her soft limit. Weiss on the other hand seems to be handling her liquor well, but anytime she talks, a slight slur in her words can be heard. From someone who speaks loud and proper all the time, it's hard to miss those slight mess ups.

I know my limit is approaching, but I believe I've done well to hide it. I can feel my ears moving and folding against my head at randomly, showing a slight case of malfunctioning motor control on my part. I'm also having a hard time keeping my eyes open which is another obvious give away. I'm a quiet and sleep-reliant drunk, unlike Yang who flirts and attempts to get much more social with the more alcohol in her system.

Ruby on the other hand is a completely different story. I always thought Ruby would be a giggly drunk, but to my surprise she's quite the opposite. With her first night of drinking coming to an end, she's chosen to stick herself against the heiress and practically force herself onto Weiss with her attempts to snuggle. Unless she's spoken to she doesn't say a word, although her unhappy groans are still present whenever Weiss tries to push the Crimsonette off.

"I think it's time we call it a night." Yang and I will finish the bottle." I say, although in all honesty there's not much left. If anything, it's just to make sure Weiss can get Ruby into bed quickly so the leader can sleep everything off.

"I had shfun." Weiss slurs while she starts to raise Ruby off of her to lead the two onto their new queen-sized mattress.

"I wanna do it again." Ruby mutters while she's lead into bed by Weiss.

In the meantime, Yang and I move onto our new bed and starts to hand the bottle back and forth from each other. Each pass resulting in the person taking a quick swig. We manage to pass the bottle between the two of us about six times before it's empty.

"Heehee! Down we go!" Yang warns. To my surprise she semi-tackles me down onto the mattress before tossing the covers over the two of us. The tipsy blonde quickly pulls me against her, guiding me to lay on my side so she can act as the big spoon in our cuddle. When I finally comply with how she wants me to lay, her arms swing around my waist and tug me against her form. Her usual warmth greets me and is further amplified by the warm, high quality blanket provided by Weiss' sister.

"If I let you . . . would you do it again?" I ask, earning a tired, questioning hum from Yang.

"If I said you could kiss Weiss . . . would you do it again?" I ask, figuring Yang is at her most honest right now.

". . . It wasn't a real kiss . . . if I ever did again . . . it'd be to give her tips on how to kiss my baby sis." Yang admits. "If it makes you feel better, I don't mind if you kiss Weiss . . . She probably wants kitty kisses anyway."

"Go to sleep . . . moron." I smile and lean towards the edge of the bed to turn off the lamp. The moment I do I can see Weiss and Ruby adjusting themselves in the darkness. Just like Yang and I, Weiss and Ruby opt to spoon with Weiss acting as the larger spoon. The two of them spend a little bit of time getting comfortable, but once they stop moving the two of them knock out for the night within seconds.

"Goodnight, Yang." I whisper, sliding myself back to press myself against _**my**_ Blonde Brawler.

"Night, Kittycat . . . I still want to meet BellaMomma and DaddyDonna."

 _What?_

". . . Go to yang, Sleep. You're drunk." I respond with a smirk before the two of us settle down finally.

* * *

 _Both sides have their reasons to fight . . .THey both have people they care about. Let'see what kind of casualties we end up having. I'll say now, next chapter **isn't** Mr Black vs Xiao Long . . . Nonono, we're changing things up_


	36. So It Begins

_The time has come. Now it starts, but my twist on everything shall keep you wondering on what will happen.  
_

 _Here is Round 1, and instead of it being Kicks and Punches, it's now P V P_

 _Let's see if any of you can realize what's going on. It's a real game changer for both sides._

 _Leave a review! OR ELSE!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 36 - So it Begins**_

 _ **Day 3, Round 1:**_

 _ **P V P**_

"Does something seem . . . different about Pyrrha?" I ask, watching as the world renowned fighter steps into the center

"She's been acting strange all morning. It's almost like she's a different person."

"She didn't want her pancakes at all today!"

"She ignored Nora's usual morning greeting and went straight for the bathroom. She's definitely lacking in her usual, cheery attitude."

Everything the rest of Team JNPR says makes me worry. It's unlike Pyrrha to give the cold shoulder to her teammates, especially to Jaune who's told me of Pyrrha's desire to impress him.

"The Vytal Festival Tournament is a big deal . . . She could just be nervous and not want to tell anyone. It's the kind of person she is." Blake enters the conversation.

"I guess . . . where're the sisters?" Ren asks.

At the moment, five seats are being occupied, starting from my far left is Jaune, Nora, then Ren. To my right is Blake with two empty seats next to her.

"Ruby's experiencing her first hangover. Yang is giving remedies." I explain without turning my head to face any of the three who I'm sure are glaring daggers at me for not elaborating on the situation.

"Ruby drinks!? We _**have**_ to do body shots!" Nora shouts, raising the obvious question from me.

"What are body shots?"

"I'll explain." Blake butts in, bringing a look of defeat to Nora who turns her attention back to the center stage while Pyrrha waits for her fellow combatant.

"It's a highly . . . inappropriate way of consuming alcohol . . . usually it's done at parties. It involves pouring alcohol on someone else and then drinking it . . .or taking a shot, locking the salt off of someone's body part, then moving their lips to exchange a lime they're holding in their teeth. I'm sure Yang could tell you every possible method if you're that curious."

"That's . . . highly unsanitary." I mutter back to Blake who nods her head and faces forward. I decide to follow her lead, seeing another redhead making their way to center stage. If I recall, Penny is the weird girl that Ruby's become great friends with. I'll have to tell Ruby the results.

"Here's our first match of the day! Pyrrha Nikos of Beacon versus Penny Polendina of Atlas." Professor Port announces.

The center hexagon begins to rise into the air, showing that there are no more special stages or environments to be used. This will be a one-on-one of pure skill and experience.

" _ **3, 2, 1, begin!"**_

Pyrrha is quick to make the first move and launches her shield at Penny who manipulates her blades to deflect the blow. Despite her deflecting the shield, Penny goes flying far off of the stage while the shield rapidly comes towards us without any faltering in its speed. Despite how far the center of the stage is from the protective dome, the shield hits the forcefield right in front of us with an electrifying sound that makes the five of us recoil.

 _When did Pyrrha get that strong!?_

Penny makes short work of recovering my lining her blades up in pairs, utilizing some sort of synergy in their design that allows her to use them as some form of afterburner - for a lack of better words.

However, when Penny lands Pyrrha doesn't seem to be paying any mind, and instead is looking in our direction, more specifically at her distant shield that's a rather large distance away. I'm curious if she can even reach it with her semblance.

"The power behind that attack . . . Miss Nikos is left without her shield after Miss Polendina's expert parry!" Port exclaims.

"I wonder if Miss Nikos was looking for the one-hit knockout with that one." Oobleck questions.

Pyrrha slowly raises her hand, obviously doubting if her semblance can reach. I'm sure the rest of her team knows her limitations.

"What's she doing?" Jaune is the first to burst out. "That's over twice the distance she can reach? Why is she even trying?"

 _As I suspected._

"Wait . . . look." Ren whispers.

With Jaune's announcement that Pyrrha's definitely too far - in fact being twice the distance she can use her semblance - all of our jaws drop when the shield lifts up with minimal effort from the sword-wielding redhead; well, single sword.

With her shield rocketing back towards the stage, Penny is quick to launch her next attack. Just like she used her swords earlier as an afterburner, she sets them up in the same alignment, this time using those beams as projectiles to shoot at Pyrrha.

"How is she controlling all of those? Are they build that way or is it a semblance?" Blake asks, caught in awe at Penny's ability to multitask.

"If it's a semblance then it is impressive . . . I still can't move my glyphs around like that. I can only keep them stationary." I admit, thinking on how difficult a similar task with my own semblance could be.

The entire fight can only be described as awkward. The very few hits that Penny manages to get close enough for Pyrrha to guard are smacked away with minimal effort despite the constant barrage of six blades. One strike from Pyrrha leads to a sizable chunk of Penny's aura level to deplete whether it is a direct hit or guarded. On the other hand, all hits that are blocked by Pyrrha show minimal effects on her aura.

However, Penny's offense is commendable. She offers Pyrrha little chance to breathe and always has at least one of her blades moving in for an attack at any given time. The artistic sword dance eventually reaps results when she manages to disarm both Pyrrha's sword and shield, even going as far as to block them mid flight when they're about to be retrieved.

Two blades constantly encircle Pyrrha while the other form regroup around Penny and begin to spiral in front of the adept Atlesian. The blades start to spiral faster, a large orb of green light forming in front of them as they rotate.

"Oh no." Blake shoots up from her seat. "That attack; she did it during the White Fang operation at The Shipyard . . . She used that to slice two airships in half!"

"WHAT!?" The four of us shout, our eyes focusing on what's about to happen. Pyrrha's far too distracted with the two blades, using the bracer on her left hand as a means to deflect them while she constantly attempts to at least get her shield back into her possession. Unfortunately, Penny makes sure to keep the shield from being repossessed, proving her skills as a crafty combatant. In fact, she only lets up on her assault when one of her swords manages to trip the evasive redhead, allowing her to bring both blades back to finish forming the large green orb.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune jumps from his seat, looking on with worry as well as the rest of us. At that moment, both of Penny's arms reel back, then launch forward to trigger a mass of six beams that spiral and swirl into one entity.

With no time to dodge, Pyrrha does what any experienced fighter would do on reflex: She holds out both of her hands in hopes of somehow, someway find the power to block the lethal blow. From what I can see, Pyrrha's arms aren't held out in front of her out of desperation.

Her posture, her focus, the fact that instead of holding out both arms, she's holding out her left arm and grasping onto that wrist with her right hand. Pyrrha _**knows**_ she can stop this attack. The five us watch in awe as the blast goes straight for Pyrrha, but some sort of shield forms directly in front of the redheaded warrior that deflects the beam straight into the air.

Everyone in the stadium is treated to what destructive power was behind that blast when it manages to break the bubble around the arena. The blast rips through the ceiling, the rest of the protective barrier slowly fading away. The even causes some people to jump out of their seats to seek cover while others sit in awe at the display of power.

"My word!" Port shouts, taking the words right out of my mouth.

"Cut the cameras, End th-" Oobleck turns off his microphone while the center stage begins to lower. After everything that's said and done, I look up to the displayed aura levels, my eyes widening even further at what I see on display.

After all of that, Pyrrha still has over half of her aura while Penny's is probably another five percent from entering critical levels.

"How did she do that?" Ren whispers, staring into the sky at the destroyed barrier.

". . . T-that attack . . . destroyed the barrier." Jaune stares on with Ren.

I turn my view back to the center platform, seeing it has just been lowered back to the ground. The guards rush out to the center, quickly leading Penny out of the arena while Pyrrha stands there staring at her hands in disbelief of what she just did.

"Come on guys, let's get down there." Jaune commands after snapping out of his stupor. "You mind letting us handle this one, you two? I think it needs to be a team discussion first and foremost."

"Understandable. Knock on our door when you make it back at least." Blake answers for us.

"Send her our regards." I add, watching as three fourths of Team JNPR take off for the exit tunnel.

"Back to the dorm?" I ask while I begin to walk towards the main isle.

"Definitely. It's probably going to be crowded getting an airship." Blake sighs, realizing how many people must be itching to get a break from the arena after that display.

"Don't worry, I'm on it." I tell Blake while I pull out my scroll to call my sister. I decide to take a seat at the end of the row so I can talk with Winter without having to yell over the crowd that's forming near the exits. Her scroll rings a couple of times, and when it's answered a slightly deeper voice picks up, although it's still obviously female.

"Sup?" The girl greets.

"Who is this? Where is Winter?"

"Nice to hear from you too, Snow Angel." The voice scoffs. That nickname, that scoff, all of it comes together to make me realize who it is.

"Shun! Why are you answering my sister's scroll!? What did you do!?" I shout, knowing the two of them aren't on the greatest of terms.

"Relax. She's right here. Gimme a sec. Oh, did you see that fuckin' beacon of light coming from well . . . Beacon!? That shit was insane!"The faunus shouts, but with my lack of a response it sounds like she's settled for finding my sister, wherever she may be. I remain quiet, listening intently to try gathering any information I can while the phone is delivered to my sister.

"It's for you."

"General Ironwood!?"

"Nah, your sister. Ironwood called like half an hour ago, though.

"What!?"

"Kidding."

"Gamin."

"Princess."

Their back and forth is quick, but it also seems much friendlier, almost like the form of teasing Yang and I could go back and forth with. It's not long before my sister's voice comes through loud and clear.

"Is something the matter, Weiss? I saw the tournament before the feed was cut. Are there any casualties?" Winter asks, worry in her voice now that she's talking to me, although I'm sure if there was a real emergency then she would've been called by Ironwood.

"Everything is fine . . . It's just a bit of a commotion after that . . . display. I was wondering if your ship is in the air so Blake and I could get a quicker ride back to Beacon." I explain.

"I see . . . T minus 10, Southern dock."

"Thank you. May I ask why is Shun with you . . . or where are the two of you?"

"She's offering me company after a very bothersome evening. That is all. I'll talk to you soon, Weiss." Winter answers and hangs up before I get the chance for a followup question.

"Well?" Blake asks. I'm sure she heard my half of the conversation, but she's never a person to prod into the affairs of others - pun intended.

"Southern docking station. It should be there by the time we arrive." I respond.

The two of us begin our walk. Blake decides to take the lead, possibly because she has a bigger frame than I do, making her a little more adept at pushing through crowds. While we struggle to get by the mass of people, Blake snatches my wrist to assure we do not lose each other. The hot, crowded halls of the colosseum are far from anything I would normally tolerate, but thankfully it isn't long before we escape the crowded halls and bleed out into the fairgrounds.

"My turn." I say with confidence and start to form a stairwell of glyphs that raise us above the huddled masses that are making their way towards the docking stations. I start making a path of glyphs on the same plane, letting them act as a walkway for Blake and I to enjoy the cool breeze and spacious environment on our walk around the colosseum to find the docking station we need.

We're currently at the Eastern Docking Station, meaning our destination is another 'quarter circle' away. From our elevated walkway it isn't a long walk at all, but we assure to take our time, allowing the airship to just barely beat us there.

The long, blue ribbons along the wings look even more beautiful up close than when I first saw the ship fly above the Amity Colosseum. The pilot can see my glyph path and acts accordingly to hover at the same elevation as my pathing of glyphs. The ship turns completely around, the back ramp lowering for us to walk aboard with a few Atlesian Knights standing guard.

Once inside, the ramp raises and a voice greets us over the intercom.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Schnee. Will you be traveling to Beacon Academy or Vale?"

"Beacon, and please, no rush." I request.

The area we have to sit is possibly the size of our room if not slightly bigger. A large, red couch sits on one of the far walls, distinguishing itself from the silver interior among the poor lighting. I am the first to sit down while Blake makes herself comfortable to my right.

"So," Blake starts, I assume she's going to bring up what happened with Pyrrha, "do you really like my ears?"

 _What?_

"Where did that come from?" I raise an eyebrow at her question.

"Last night . . . "

 _Oh . . ._

Realizing where Blake's information came from, I turn my head away and take a deep breath. Yes, I like her ears, but Yang's constant referencing to them along with Ruby chiming in every once in awhile deters me from offering my own compliments. In my eyes, complimenting her ears is only saying I admire her Faunus side as opposed to Blake as a whole.

"I do, but of course I find other things about you very appealing." I defend to not let her think I'm obsessed with her faunus trait.

"Oh? Go on." Blake offers a soft smile, something I don't often see from her when Yang isn't around.

"Well, your sense of dressing is a nice mix between casual and mysterious. Your amber irises are also very appealing, especially in dim light." I feel myself starting to ramble, but I've started down a path I can't really break away from. It's not until my fourth mention that Blake holds her hand up to stop be, the faunus in disguise laughing for some reason.

"Weiss, I don't mind that you like my ears. It's a relief that you accept them." Blake explains, still fighting away a few chuckles. "Besides, if you keep going down the list, I'm going to start thinking you're hitting on me."

"What!? I . . . why would I do- ugh!" I fold my arms and look the other way, annoyed that Blake's easily gotten under my skin in the same manner that Yang can do so effortlessly.

Thankfully our shop lands within the next minute, allowing the two of us to disembark and make a quick entry through our room thanks to the back window being open. Blake decides to climb the nearby tree and hop in while I walk through with the assistance of my glyphs.

When we get inside, I turn right to see that Ruby is still on our bed with the covers covering everything but the top of her head. I should probably have made better preparations when it was decided this would be Ruby's first drinking night.

"Hey you two." Yang calls out from her and Blake's bed. To my surprise her voice is much quieter than normal. I never thought Yang could adjust her obnoxiously loud voice, but with her sister in pain, it's no surprise that her instincts as an older sister would kick in. "She's out cold, sit over here Weiss."

I nod, leaving Ruby to rest and choose to join the buzzing duo on their bed after kicking off my shoes. Yang is currently sitting with her back against the corner wall, idly flipping through her scroll to pass the time. Blake makes short work in taking off her boots and joins Yang by laying her head on the blond's lap. To my surprise she also takes off her bow. Yang's left hand almost immediately starts to brush over Blake's hair, drawing a smile to the brunette's lips.

I'm left sitting at the very edge of the bed, already feeling like a third wheel to the semi-cuddling duo. It's not until Yang lowers her scroll and looks at me that she pats the spot next to her, encouraging me to crawl over and sit at her side.

"Weiss was telling me all the things she finds appealing about me." Blake teases the moment I'm within earshot.

"Oh? Did she mention the Bellabooty?" Yang asks, making me start to inch away from slight discomfort. At least until she swings her right arm around me and tugs me back to make sure I can't get away from the two tallest members of the team.

"Surprisingly, no. She did admit that she likes my ears again, though." Blake quips and smirks at me. If looks could kill, my dagger-filled stare would've taken all of Blake's lives by now. "Think I should?"

"Should what?" I blink, not liking the cryptic phrasing that was just used.

"Yup, give her a treat!" Yang says with excitement and continues to tug me against her despite my slight struggles.

"What are you two planning?" I grunt, fighting a losing battle with Yang's vice-like grip.

"Relax, Ice Queen. Just pet the kitty ears." Yang states flatly, causing me to freeze and look at Blake who's staring right at me with her ears wiggling in a taunting manner.

"What?"

"Come on, Blake lets Ruby pet them once in awhile, just no pinching." Yang attempts to egg me on while Blake's focused stare and constant ear wiggling breaks away at each layer of my self control.

Eventually I cave in and reach out for Blake's faunus trait. My index and middle fingers are the first to touch her ear which lightly fluttered against my digits before settling down to let me brush over the soft fur. Blake's amber glare disappears behind her eyelids, and a long, drawn out sigh leaves the naturally quiet brunette's lips.

"They're so soft." I sigh, ceasing my fight against Yang's grip so I can lay on my stomach and get a closer look at Blake's ears. Both of my hands give attention to each ear separately, drawing a smile to my face at every little twitch, flick, and turn they do in response to me.

"Right? I get so mad when she keeps her ears covered in the room. You can see why now, right?" Yang snickers, possibly trying to get me to help her convince Blake to keep her bow off in the room.

"It's her choice, Yang." I respond without stopping in my motions. My fingers trail along the edges of the fluttering ears, a bright smile never leaves my lips. "They are cute, though . . ."

Times flies while I admire Blake's ears, and it's not until a highly inappropriate sound leaves Blake's lips that I flinch and let go of her ears altogether.

"Too much, Blakey?" Yang asks and leans down to kiss her girlfriend on the forehead.

"Mhm." Blake responds and opens her eyes again. I look down at the Faunus, noting the cheek-to-cheek blush, wondering what is it that I did to get that reaction from her.

"Blake's ears are real sensitive." Yang explains, a devious grin crossing her lips. "Mess with them too much and she'll blow."

"You mean- . . . I just . . . did she . . . WHAT!?" I shout, recoiling back, but Yang is quick to catch my arm and pull me towards her.

"No, she just couldn't keep quiet anymore." Yang snickers.

"It does feel nice to have my ears touched once in awhile." Blake admits.

"Why would you let me do that, then?" I sigh, an apologetic gaze directed towards Blake.

"Because you've never touched my ears." Blake says flatly. "It's not a big deal . . . I talked to Yang about it this morning."

"Yeah, I can't hog Blake's kitty ears all to myself . . . Although I think she likes how you touch them more than the way I touch them." Yang observes, making Blake roll her eyes.

"She's definitely more gentle . . . and has experience with cats . . . unlike you who only has experience with dogs." Blake bites, drawing out a few snickers from me.

"Yeah, yeah . . . Oh, did you two see that big light coming from the colosseum? It was like a giant flashbang." Yang says in her attempts to describe what she saw from the window.

"Should you tell her, or should I?" I ask, looking at Blake to see who should tell the tale of Penny and Pyrrha's clash.


	37. Failure Will Not Be Tolerated

_Hey guys, meant to get this out last night buy couldn't get to my comp before I blacked out. Here's chapter 37, and just to make sure . . last time I updated I put up like 3 chapters in one day. May want to go back and make sure you've read all the chapters I put up before reading this one :)_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **POV: NEO**_

 _ **Chapter 37 - Failure Will Not Be Tolerated**_

"Cinder, I tried!" Emerald cries out as yet another harsh fist comes down on the cowering woman.

"Tried? She wouldn't even flinch at your pathetic attempts at using your semblance. I thought you've tested it on her before." Cinder shouts, completely furious at Emerald's failure to get her semblance on Pyrrha during the fight.

"I-I don't know! It's like she grew more resistant to it!" Emerald continues to cower, this time getting a sharp stiletto to dig into her abdomen.

"That blast was supposed to _**kill**_ her! In fact, that attack was banned from her combat protocol with humans. It's an anti-vehicle weapon at the minimum." Cinder explains while she steps on Emerald once more.

"I wouldn't be too hard on her, Cin . . . Take a look at the news." Mercury says, still resting on the windowsill ever since Emerald's beating began. With reluctance Cinder takes out her scroll and begins to search, but doesn't bother taking her foot off of Emerald.

Not to be left out, I search my jacket pocket for my scroll and search for the local news channel that Mercury mentioned. To my surprise there's a breaking news story going into detail on the effects that blinding light has had on Vale.

" _ **Tension flies through the air after the sneaky charade of Atlas is exposed thanks to an anonymous video sent in to us just a few minutes ago."**_

Lisa Lavender, the local Vale news reporter proceeds to hook in any views at the mention of of Atlas and an anonymous video that's apparently gone viral in mere seconds.

"Come on, Cinder . . . stop beating on her and pay attention." Mercury suggests, seeming disinterested in the news report himself and goes to check on Emerald.

"If this is a waste of my time . . ."

"It won't be, since when do I mess around on these things?"

"Too much for my liking."

Cinder walks passed me while I rest comfortably on the tall dresser and instead sits down on the bed to watch the news report. Normally I'd try to comfort her, but I suppose this is one of those times I should leave her be.

" _ **This video shows us that the female combatant responsible for the malfunction of the protective barrier that keeps viewers at the Amity Colosseum safe from harm is in fact an Atlesian Robot placed into this tournament as a means of 'testing' its combat capabilities."**_

The video on display is sloppy at first, but the quality soon sharpens to show the several guards that escorted Penny into the tunnel to eventually meet up with Ironwood who proceeds to question the small redhead.

"Penny . . . that is strictly a threat level 5 ability. Did you deem her a threat to society?" Ironwood asks, keeping his calm for now.

"I . . . my programming must have been changed. My cannon is placed under threat level 2." The robot girl explains

"And what about civilian casualties!? If that wasn't deflected properly, lives would have been lost!"

"Civilian casualties are not my concern. Primary protocol is to protect self in combat."

As the two continue their discussion, a scientist eventually appears. Aside from the large, white lab coat, he appears to have a small tool case with him. As far as hair is concerned, he appears to be balding with his white hair circling the sides and back of his head, leaving the top a shining dome.

"Penny, when was your protocol changed? No, **what** protocols were changed?" The scientist asks while holding the screwdriver to Penny's back.

"Combat restrictions, casualty calculations, and safety priorities. Have I upset you, Father?"

"Nono. I'm just going to check your chip and we'll have you up and running in a few hours. Nothing to worry about."

The grand unveiling is finally made when Penny's back opens like a battery flap and the scientist proceeds to remove her six blades along with what appears to be a computer chip. The moment his hand is removed from the android's back, Penny's arms and head slump forward, and the light in her eyes completely vanishes.

"I'll fix her chip at once . . . Penny knows very well not to harm anyone. She's a good girl."

" _ **She**_ is military technology. She isn't a little schoolgirl despite the image she was made in." Ironwood argues with the scientist who looks on completely dumbfounded.

"She's my little girl. My precious little Copper Child." He answers back, much to Ironwood's disapproval."

"You listen here-"

Ironwood starts to say but his head quickly turns to the camera recording the entire incident.

"Who is that!?" He shouts, making the camera pull back and show shakey views of the tunnel ahead and floor below.

"Uh oh, gotta run." The cameraman says to himself, but without any mistake that video was taken by Mercury.

The video disappears from the screen, leaving us once again with Lisa Lavender.

" _ **This 'malfunction' could killed hundreds if not the thousands in attendance, as well as the students and staff of Beacon resting in the Academy below. What would Atlas need with a weapon in the form of a child? Are the massive armies above a possible sign of incoming conflict? Could that androids entry in the tournament and obvious display of lethal action have been the first step towards Atlas declaring war on the Kingdom of Vale?**_

"Mercury . . . thank you." Emerald whimpers.

"Yeah, well . . . I knew you'd be getting it for this. We look after our own, right?" The silver-haired, sarcastic kickboxer retorts, drawing out a smile from Emerald who's managing with a bloody lip, and massive bruising along the exposed portions of her torso.

Cinder seems to be pleased at the new display. The threat of war with a massive army looming overhead. The risk of anarchy increases by the second. Cinder wants chaos, and she'll either get it from the civilians fearing for their lives against Atlas, or the Atlesian fleets moving far enough for our plan to commence with far less interruptions than we initially planned for.

"This is . . . acceptable." Cinder admits and raises her head from her scroll to look towards the curled up Emerald and kneeling Mercury that's doing his best to help with the sustained injuries.

"Mercury, you have a match coming up next. I suggest you get back to the Amity Colosseum." Cinder warns him. With a sigh Mercury moves to his feet and runs a hand over Emerald's head.

"Neo, if you got a minute . . . mind helping her?" Mercury asks of me before he leaves from the room, not wanting to upset Cinder any further, although he's done a good job of improving her mood.

When Mercury closes the door, my eyes immediately search for Cinder's gaze who nods her head the moment our eyes meet. WIth her approval I hop down from the dresser, landing quietly at Emerald's side with a smile on my face.

"I'm fine, Neo . . . I just need my aura to come back." Emerald sighs.

Thinking on how to at least numb the pain, I reach into my jacket to pull out my old sidearm, the _**S.A.D.I.S.T.I.C 5**_ , my trust five shot revolver with a custom chamber. I give a violent shake to the side of the revolver, making the 5-shot chamber spring out to the side. I spin the chamber, searching for a blue dust crystal that I remove and hold out to Emerald.

"You still carry that thing?" Emerald asks with a surprise. I make sure to close the chamber, then proceed to take Emerald's weapon from her hip and smack the dust into smaller crystals with the hilt. I make quick work in gathering up the remaining shards and sprinkle the smaller pieces over Emerald's wounds. The shivers that erupt from her body are a giveaway that the dust is cold as intended.

"T-this is . . c-c-c-cold." Emerald complains, leaving me to give her a blank stare that emanates the phrase 'no shit, Sherlock'.

While the swelling is being taken care of, I walk towards Cinder's bed and start to reach underneath, fishing for a certain container I placed there a while back.

"What are you looking for, Neo?" Cinder questions me, getting a surprise when I pull out a brown, white, and pink box that I painted so anybody that finds it knows it's mine. Inside the box are about eight aura syringes.

Aura syringes are devices that boost a person's aura level after it's been depleted to critical levels. It's essentially an adrenaline shot for your aura.

I take one of the syringes out and put the rest away, waving the one that I separated to Emerald. When I get back to the green-haired girl I quickly jab the needle into her arm, wait a couple of seconds for the osmosis to take place, then pull out the needle seeing there's still plenty of liquid in the syringe, meaning Emerald's aura isn't as depleted as I thought.

With her aura back to a stable level, however, her wounds began healing partially and her body starts to fight the negative presence of the dust that feels like it's applying frostbite to a portion of her torso.

"Thanks, Neo." Emerald mutters and lowers her head, not trying to make any form of eye contact with Cinder for now.

Feeling the tension in the air, I decide to sit on the floor, but make a point to sit with my back between Cinder's legs and against the bed to be able to somewhat manipulate the mood. After getting comfortable, I don't dare lean my head back, knowing Cinder's not in much of a mood, but I do look up at her and offer a smile that she scoffs at.

 _She always does that when she wants to hide a smile from me . . . You'd be a terrible poker player, Cinder_

I take my scroll back out and start to look through it, curious to see how the Vale news is continuing the story of Mercury's leaked footage. Much to my surprise, the news story isn't about 'Penny' anymore. In fact, it's showing a Vale home just off of the main street with a crowd of angry people outside. I eagerly await Lisa Lavender to explain what's going on, and within a few seconds of the broadcast being show, the news reporter appears with the information.

" _ **Trouble appears to be brewing at a small home in Vale where eye witnesses say one of the Specialists of the Atlesian Military is staying during their visit to Vale. The mob you see outside are civilians attempting to chase out the Atlesian as a precaution to the looming conflict in the air.**_ _**However, a lone Faunus stands outside the door, keeping the crowd at bay. A huntress maybe? An agent of the White Fang, possibly? More on this turn of events when we come back."**_

"Hm . . . isn't that Roman's loud-mouthed runaway?" Cinder says to noone in particular. "He told me she was nowhere to be seen, or heard."

"M-Mercury saw her yesterday . . ." Emerald speaks up in a near whisper, not wanting to get Cinder's anger to turn on her again.

"I see. She knows about you and Mercury, doesn't she?" Cinder asks and looks at Emerald who gives a slow nod of her head.

"In that case," Cinder starts to speak. She closes her thighs just a bit, touching her knee to my cheek so I look up at her.

"Neo . . . I have a job for you, and failure will not be tolerated."


	38. The Sun Dragon's Talon

_This is where it begins. Sorry for the people that have been enjoying happy Team RWBY . . . The storm has arrived._

 _Reviews desired!  
_

 _So, some people were upset taht throughout their training, Yang didn't get much out if it . . .We're talking back in my first story. Well, this is the payoff she can get for proper aura control. Enjoy the debut of her new move:_

* * *

 _ **POV: YANG XIAO LONG  
**_

 _ **Chapter 38 - The Sun Dragon's Talon.**_

 **"Now we move onto the next match of the day"**

As enthusiastic as ever, Port starts to take control after the barrier's been placed back up. I know Pyrrha's amazing, but for her to deflect something that could destroy the protective barrier is scary. She's way stronger than she lets us believe, that's for sure. Weiss and Blake must have been exaggerating, though. I'm sure it took everything she had to redirect it . . . and how could she do it with her bare hand? Come on, she's not _that_ good.

As part of the Single's Bracket for our team, all of us decided to come back to the Colosseum. I'm currently seated near the back of the ground level of seats, knowing I'll have easy access to the entry tunnel should my name be called. To my right is Blake, Ruby, and Weiss in that order, all three patiently waiting to see who will be in the next match.

Not wanting to risk missing my match, Rubes made sure she came as well but with her slight migraine Blake made sure to lend her a pair of her soundproofing headphones. With ports announcement I can see Ruby flinch just a bit. I figured the headphones wouldn't do much, but I guess it helps drown out the sound of the crowd, somewhat.

" _ **This next one is sure to be a match to match the intensity of the previous match! Now, on to the randomization process!"**_

Even over a loudspeaker Doctor Oobleck still talks insanely fast. It's surprising that he was made a commentator . . . although I guess most commentators do talk fast.

" _ **Our next match of the day is . . ."**_

Port takes over again, waiting for the displays to stop spinning to let us know who will be up. Honestly, I hope I'm next. Mainly so Rubes doesn't have an excuse to keep pushing herself when the volume of the colosseum must be killing her on the inside. Hangovers can definitely be a pain, I remember my first like it was yesterday.

 _ **Mercury Black, versus . . . "**_

My eyes shift to the screen, instantly recognizing the face on display. Without a doubt in my mind, he's the jerk who took off Blake's bow at the Festival Grounds.

 _Okay, now I_ _ **really**_ _want to be next. Come on, give me some good luck!_

" _ **. . . Oh-hoho! Yang Xiao Long!"**_

 _Yes!_

"Break a leg, Sis!" Ruby gives me a thumbs up as I raise out of my seat to head into the tunnel. Blake places her hand on my hip, stopping me from going anywhere while she moves to her feet to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"I don't need to tell you the obvious. Just win for the team . . . okay?" Blake gives me one of her more worried looks. She always knows exactly what is going through my head.

"Not a problem, Blake. I'll kick his ass and nothing more." I reassure her, although somewhere in the back of my mind I acknowledge that during our fight, Blake's tear-stricken face will flash through my mind. It's a face I never want to see again.

As I step out into the aisle I see a few people stand up and begin applauding. I wonder what's going on, so I look behind me to check the arena. WIth nothing of interest happening there, I turn back towards the applauding group, noticing all of their eyes are centered on me.

"Kick some ass, Xiao Long!" "Send 'em packin'! Show them what Vale's all about!" "You two are such a cute couple!"

Their shouts and chants leaves me smiling cheek-to-cheek. Coco has her fashionistas, but I have a fanbase that's hard to notice and hard to find. They're a perfect representation of The Pit. How could I forget that aside from needing to win this for my team, I have a responsibility to bring the win to Beacon and Vale.

After all, I'm the Blonde Brawler of Beacon Academy.

* * *

 _ **(In The Tunnel)**_

"Alright, Yang. Just gotta kick some ass . . . You got this." I say in my attempts to psyche myself up.

"You've come a long way, Firecracker . . . Have you been doing the training regiment I gave you?"

I squint, looking near the end of the tunnel to the arena to see Uncle Qrow's outline against one of the walls. I quickly run up to him, surprised that he'd be here of all places. The moment I'm within arm's reach he places a hand on my head, then proceeds to ruffle my hair.

"I've been trying . . . I just can't understand the whole 'push with my knuckles' thing. When I punch I let my aura go free, it's hard to like . . . manipulate it like that." I explain.

"Well, if you want to get him back for what he did to your little Nightshade . . . you'll learn on the fly." Uncle Qrow pushes off the wall and starts to walk away, "Videos are up all over. After this tournament everyone's gonna know you're dating a Faunus. Make your statement now . . . otherwise the two of you will be going through hell. Good luck, Firecracker."

 _People recorded that?_

"Great . . . so now this is a match where I need to make an example . . . If I do, people will be too scared to even look at Blake the wrong way thanks to me. On the other side, if I don't, they'll think they can all get away with it like he did."

I take a deep breath, discussing the outcomes with myself while I step into the arena to be greeted by the sound of the roaring crowd eager to see the next match.

On the octagon in the center on the arena stands the infamous asshole from the fairgrounds. Now I finally I have name to put to his disgusting face. A name like Mercury Black practically radiates douchebag at its finest, it's a shame he lives up to his namesake.

I take my time walking to the stage, realizing the magnitude of the Vytal Festival for the first time. The other two times I've been in the arena has been with one, or all three teammates. Now that I'm alone my focus is split to the masses that are all looking on. Thousands of people in attendance, millions watching at home; this is a dream, and we all know the dreamer can't lose in her own dream!

As I step onto the center piece a brief shake happens below and the stage begins to rise, isolating us from the rest of the arena. It looks like there won't be any environmental advantages. It's just him and me.

The deafening cheers of everyone has my ears ringing, struggling to adapt to the insane decibel levels. If only they could have made that barrier sound-muffling or something along those lines. Directly overhead are several Atlesian frigates, housing who knows how many soldiers ready to be deployed at a moment's notice. Even Winter's ship is in the air, flying much closer to the arena than the rest.

"Say, how's the cannibal kitten doing?"

Despite the roars of the crowd and Port's voice announcing how the Final's bracket will work, my ears pinpoint Mercury's voice and enhance it through everything else. I turn my head to look his way, seeing that same smirk he had when he yanked off Blake's bow. I'll make him regret what he did.

"Not talking? What's wrong, pussy got your tongue? Was it a 69? Does she sit on your face, or do you sit on hers?"

 _Just keep it together, Yang . . . a few more seconds and you can beat the shit out of him . . . just wait for it._

"Hello? Earth to lesbo? Does she taste like tuna? I'm not much of a tuna fan . . . but I think she could make me into it."

Every word edges me closer to turning his face into a pancake. My knuckles are white from how tight my fists are being clenched, and if not for my aura, my nails would be drawing blood from my palms.

 _Just play it cool, Yang . . . don't look at him._

I follow my own advice and continue to analyze the swarm of people that decorate the outskirts of the Colosseum. Thankfully Port's voice interrupts my internal struggle with the count down I've been pleading for since the moment I stepped foot on the platform.

" _ **3 . . .**_

My eyes instantly snap over to Mercury, my clenched fists loosen to their standard.

 _ **. . . 2 . . .**_

I posture myself up, the fundamental stance that Dad's taught me. Elbows at my sides to protect from the body shots, fists just below eye level to either throw or block, and my left foot forward, carefully inching with each baby step to measure my distance from him.

 _ **. . . 1 . . .**_

Mercury moves slightly, but not by much. His arms are still at his sides and he's standing so I'm directly to his right. What changes is his footing, but it's so minor that most wouldn't notice. He's no longer sitting on his heels, instead choosing to shift his weight to the balls of his toes, leaving him ready to pounce at any time.

 _ **. . . Begin!"**_

The instant Port announces the start of the match, both of us launch our first attack simultaneously. I step in, planting my left foot forward and throwing my right cross, daring him to stop it.

He's perfectly willing to meet the challenge and builds up his moment with a swift pivot on his leading right foot. His spin exposes his back to me briefly, but his left leg snaps out within the next split second, catching my punch as well as keeping himself perfectly postured.

" _The legs are naturally three times stronger than the arms"_

That quote I've heard far too many times shoots through my mind as he blocks my punch. He's not pushing me back at all, in fact we're even in our first test of power. What does that mean? Despite the legs being three times stronger, we're still even. I know I've worked harder than him, longer than him, and I'm not just fighting for myself. I'm doing this for Beacon, for my team, and most importantly, for Blake.

 _I know I wouldn't be fighting this on a personal level, Blake . . . but you can't understand how I feel. He's hurt you, and I won't let him think that's okay. This isn't just for me or you, this is for everyone who hides their relationships in the shadows. There's nothing wrong with a Faunus being in love with a human or the other way around. If people want to boo me for it,_ _ **try**_ _to bully me over it, then so be it. I've had it with all of this hate._

As I pull back my fist, he retracts his leg, adopting a brief stance that keeps one leg tucked near his torso while he perfectly balances on the other. Figuring he only has one limb to attack with, I sprint in, already ducking while I advance to lower my center of gravity to build up more speed and force an awkward angle for his kicks.

Once we're within striking distance of each other he tries to jump so he can axe kick me, figuring my low posture will give him enough room to build up momentum for his kick. To disappoint his plan I spring upright and make a slight sidestep to welcome his left into my left shoulder.

I immediately hook my arm around his limb, refusing to let go while I begin to throw a flurry of right punches, forcing him to cover up with both hands and hop backwards to not fall over. Eventually he starts to dodge, and after he's gained favorable footing he pushes off of the ground with his right leg, bringing the leg to the other side of my head so he can use his legs to flip me in a makeshift hurricanrana.

Instead of falling to the floor, I flip myself with the momentum of his attack to somersault, landing in a comfortable crouch that's interrupted when he begins to fire weird orbs of compressed air at me.

With my stubbornness to give him any form of footing taking over, I begin to meet his barrage of projectiles with my Ember Celica. With only one leg he's able to shoot faster than me using both of my gauntlets, but what he doesn't have on his side are the explosive buckshots my gauntlets are loaded with. All it takes is a slight trajectory fix so I'm aiming at his planted foot and the debris that erupts with the explosion causes his barrage of kicks to stop.

 _I'm gonna need something with a little more kick to get him . . . His boots need to go_.

With somewhat of a game plan made up I quickly empty the shells that are loaded and reach behind me for my bandolier, and more importantly the armor piercing rounds I've been saving for a special occasion, and I guess this is special enough.

I toss the shells into the air, waiting for them to fall back down towards me so I can spread my arms apart and let them fall into the chamber. With the new ammunition loaded I quickly fire four shots into the debris, figuring he'd still have the instinct to fire back or better yet, try to deflect them.

Out of the four shots that enter the debris, three fly straight through while the last flies towards the sky after a loud metal clanking can be heard. If I'm lucky that's one of his boots being made completely useless. All I need now is to get rid of the other.

I keep ready, waiting for the debris to clear to expose my opponent, but even after the smoke is gone, there's nobody there. The entire area is empty and I even look towards the broadcasting large display to see if the cameras have a view of him. During the time I spend examining the area, I see that all of the projectiles he shot that either missed me or weren't destroyed by my Ember Celica are spiraling overhead. Whatever he was planning is taken care of, but how did he disappear? A Semblance maybe?

Caution and worry takes over, my instincts make me back away from the center of the stage, moving towards the nearest edge to at least protect my blind spot. That proves to be my biggest mistake.

A sharp pain slams into my kidney and I go rocketing forward. The harsh momentum from the attack leaves me stumbling and rolling while I try to get a proper foothold to get to my feet. The moment I do, I stare at his legs, noticing sparks flying from one of his feet. There's no doubt about it, his left boot is completely wrecked, although the fact that he's keeping it on is somewhat surprising. With the sparks flying from it, I'd deem it a hazard to myself, but I guess he knows his own weapon better than anyone.

Out of curiosity I look towards the screen, catching a brief replay of what happened. The sneak came out the back of the debris and dropped underneath the stage. From there he used his recoil to cross the platform from below so he can strike me from behind.

"Alright . . . I'll admit, I underestimated you." He smirks and lowers himself to a squat. "But this is the end of the line, Blondy."

From his squat he makes a leap into the air. With his good boot he takes a shot at me that I don't bother dodging based on its trajectory. As expected, the shot lands at me feet with a pitiful explosion in comparison to Ember Celica.

"Sweet dreams."

I look up to Mercury, spotting rapid movement out of my peripheral vision. All of the projectiles that have been spiraling around the arena all come down in an endless 360 degree barrage. I plant my feet to destroy as much as I can, taking out huge clumps with Ember Celica's explosive radius, but once a few disrupt my rhythm, the rest come crashing down in an unforgiving bulletstorm.

As the back-to-back attacks strike me, all I can do is cover up and power through them. I took out a good portion, hopefully meaning that this won't be fatal to my aura. If I get through this, my semblance will be exactly where it needs to be.

The multiple blows hit their mark, every attack stacking up to whittle away at my aura like a swarm of locusts. After all of the explosions there's a minor ringing in my ears, but never have I heard the buzzer go off signaling that I'm eliminated.

 _This is it._

While still on my knees I crash my knuckles together, blowing away all of the debris to show that I'm still standing . . . figuratively at least. Mercury's on the other side of the stage, possibly having that distance made because he didn't hear the buzzer go off either. All I need to do is get close enough to punch him and I can end this, but I know it's easier said than done. Even with one of his boots being useless, he's still dangerous.

 _Well, there's only one way I know how to do things._

I've always gone after my challenges in the same manner. There's no reason I can't do it again here. Strategizing just isn't my thing, so I'll do what I'm best at:

 **Taking the world head on.**

I aim both of my gauntlets behind me and fire, accelerating me into a full sprint towards him. As expected, he doesn't make my approach easy, constantly doing spinning kicks that send his weird projectiles curving in my direction. The odd trajectory leaves me guessing how much they're going to turn, but I decide to just avoid the entire area it could be hitting by firing my Ember Celica diagonally behind me, letting me juke towards the left and right while still closing in distance.

My aggressive approach rewards me with a wide-eyed Mercury staring down my red-eyed stare. I'm too close for him to shoot another projectile, and my stance is too low for him to throw a proper kick. I'm at a range where he's useless, and without one of his weapons he has no way to stop the incoming barrage.

 _This is for Jaune!_

I duck underneath his desperate front kick, breaking from a full on sprint so I can slide left, beginning the motion of my Dempsey Roll. My first punch is a jab straight to his face. After his failed front kick he tries to twist his leg to catch me with his calf, but again I duck it, this time moving right to deliver another punch, this time a watered down right cross to his chin.

 _This is for every homophobic garbage that's left your mouth!_

A flurry of punches begins to leave me. I abandon the Dempsey Roll and practically dance around him, avoiding all of his kicks while I decorate his upper body with jabs and crosses. Behind the roars of the crowd I can hear the constant ticking of his aura meter. I haven't hit him much this match, but this is where I bring it all to a close.

 _And this . . . IS FOR BLAKE._

I jump backwards, creating another two feet of distance between us. It's all the room needed to slam my left leg into the ground and follow through with a long windup from my right fist I can feel my aura blazing around me, but I know this punch won't end it. I'll need one more, but damn it'll feel good to let this one go.

Mercury has ample time to brace for my right cross, and does so by jumping into the air, curling his legs and arms up to eat the brunt of my punch. He goes flying back like a cannon ball, reverse somersaulting to get back to his feet with little in the terms of actual damage done. A glimpse up at the scoreboard and I can see that my aura is at 20, his is at 16. I could breathe on him and win this match. With victory certain, I use my Ember Celica to go into an instant full sprint, making sure to not give him even an inch of breathing space.

By the time I get back in his face, he's just getting himself ready to block, but I already have my plan to end this fight. I've been aiming for his face, his chest, and his neck. Each punch placed in a spot that could severely injure him if his aura wasn't present. That worry in his head will definitely make him guard high, and as expected, he falls for the trap.

I take immense pleasure in hearing him cough up a lung when my left hand digs into his stomach. The force of my punch lifts him off of the ground and sends him into a very slight rise. I can see his aura discharge, signaling that there's no more left to protect himself. I can let it end here, but a voice in the back of my mind reminds me what's at stake.

" _ **Videos are up all over. After this tournament everyone's gonna know you're dating a Faunus. Make your statement now . . . otherwise the two of you will be going through hell."**_

Uncle Qrow was right, and even if Blake gets angry over an extra punch, it'll be worth it to set the example that nobody's going to hurt her. I won't let her cry again. This is where I let the world know that nobody is safe when my Kittycat's been hurt.

A flash of Blake's crying face goes through my head, and that image alone is enough to make me snap.

Tears burst from my eyes as I rear up my right hand. I can hear my knuckles cracking just from me balling up a fist with the intent to leave a message in the Colosseum. While Mercury begins to fall back to the ground after his two feet of airtime, I send my other fist into his stomach for a second body-shot uppercut. I can feel my knuckles digging into his flesh and ribs, those points of impact having an intense buildup of pressure that makes me release my aura to relieve it. Instead of him flying off of my fist like most would normally do, he grows still. I must have drained my aura with the initial punch because it looks like I have nowhere near enough energy to send him flying.

Satisfied with the extra punch, I let the motion follow through, throwing him off of my fist so I can raise it in triumph. The buzzer just makes itself known, forcing the fight to end while Port's voice drowns out the crowd.

" _ **And what a performance by Yang Xiao Long! This is- my word, cut the cameras!"**_

I'm surprised at Port's sudden change of tone, and even the cheering of the crowd starts to die out as time goes on. I turn my head to the monitor, seeing a replay of the final seconds of the match. Everything appears to be normal, at least until the final punch.

The last punch I throw hit him square in the gut, but on impact my aura surrounded the two of us. From within that bright light, the camera zooms in to show what appears to be four beams of light shooting out of Mercury's back. The way they're aligned, and the timing of it all leads me to believe that was a concentration of my aura.

As the clip continues to play I can feel a sickness hit my stomach. As Mercury hit the floor, a pool of red starts to seep through the back of his outfit, bloodying his clothing as well as forming a puddle of the crimson essence on the arena's tiled floor.

I turn my head towards him, expecting it to be an exaggeration from the clip, but I'm proven wrong. He hasn't moved an inch, and the puddle of red continues to grow.

My punch didn't send him flying because I didn't throw my aura into my fists. My aura went right into my knuckles, and bursted in a compressed concentration I didn't know I could do. It's the same punch I've seen my dad do. In fact, Weiss trained to block that exact attack.

I start to back away from him, the stage rapidly lowering to let the medics get to him as quickly as possible. The silver outfit's smooth texture is destroyed, replaced by a shade of red that could be comparable to my sister's cape. I want to throw up, I want to try to help, I want to get away too, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do in this situation.

" _ **Well, if you want to get him back for what he did to your little Nightshade . . . you'll learn on the fly."**_

 _But this isn't what I wanted. This isn't what Blake wanted . . . Blake . . ._

My entire body is quaking, but I scan the crowd for my team, most importantly for Blake. She wouldn't think I did this on purpose . . . I wouldn't. I'm not a killer!

At least, I'd like to think that, but the look of fear and disbelief I can spot on her face as well as the rest of the team speaks a different story.

I've set the example . . . but this isn't the example either of us wanted.


	39. Broken, Missing, and Confused

_So, I found a new technique that helps me write and breaks me away from my writer's block . . .  
_

 _It's so simple :D Just type with my eyes closed! Thankfully I'm a master at blind typing, so it's not too difficult and it helps me get more vivid images._

 _Now, anybody who follows all of my stories will see what I did there in terms of the title. It's a throwback and should immediately tell people who is what._

 _There's also a slight nod to Adventure Time in this chapter. It's very small and won't be surprised if some people don't get it_

 _Anyway, please leave a review, give me some feedback, and enjoy one of my longer chapters!_

* * *

 _ **POV: BLAKE BELLADONNA**_

 _ **Chapter 39**_

 _ **The Unstoppable, The Invincible, and The Untouchable:**_

 _ **The Broken, The Missing, and The Confused.**_

"You sure you want to do this, Ruby?" I ask the small redhead, worried for her well being.

"I'll be fine, Blake! It's just a little head hurting. It's gone down a lot. Besides, I can't miss my Big Sis' match!" Ruby defends, and it's an argument I can't really find a winning move against. This is an event that only happens once a year, and something we will only get to participate in three to four times at best. This would not be the one to miss since it's Yang's first, and on top of that it's probably the only one we're guaranteed to see. You never know what the future holds.

It's about to be somewhere in the mid-afternoon. Weiss and Yang already made their way to the Colosseum, leaving me to travel with Ruby while Weiss strategizes with Yang. Ruby and I are just making our way towards the docking station where her sister's ship is docked, possibly awaiting our arrival, or revealing that Winter is somewhere in Beacon. It's not until we're near the ramp and about to walk around it to see if any of the standard airships are here that two of the soldiers immediately salute.

"Miss Rose and Miss Belladonna! We've been instructed to offer this ship as transport to the Amity Colosseum." The two soldiers say in unison, but their shouting makes Ruby flinch, confirming that her hangover is still taking effect.

"Thank you," I speak up, then proceed to correct their unknown mistake before it can be repeated, "Ruby has a bit of a headache, though. Just a couple of decibels down would be appreciated."

"Heheh. Bad morning." Ruby adds apologetically.

"Our mistake." One of the guards responds before beckoning us on board.

As we enter the airship and take our seats, I reach towards my neck to remove a pair of high-quality ear muffs I use whenever Weiss and Yang begin their arguments. It's probably not going to do much in terms of helping avoid Ruby's head from throbbing, but it should make the pain become significantly less, at least that's what I'm hoping for.

"So, you sure you're up for it?" I ask Ruby, referring to her stubbornness to go to the colosseum.

"I'm not gonna miss my Big Sis' match!" She declares with confidence. "I need to support her as Team Leader and as family."

"Well try wearing these at least." I hold out the ear muffs, waiting for Little Red to take them from me.

When she does, she places them on her head and adjusts them over her ears. Shortly after she looks at me and gives a thumbs up gesture. I figure now would be the best time to see if they're working well for her - which I know they are - so I decide to say something that Ruby could not keep a straight face to if she heard it.

"Yang finger fucked me in your attic during Winter Break." I state loud and proud. When I'm done, Ruby lifts one of the earphones away to expose her right ear.

"What was that, Blake? These things are super good." Ruby says apologetically.

"Was just asking if they were working fine." I lie, although that question has just been answered based on her response.

Satisfied with the lie, Ruby places the earmuffs back over both of her ears, leaving us sitting quietly throughout the short five minute flight. When we land we make short work of going into the colosseum and finding our way towards where Weiss and Yang are sitting thanks to Weiss taking the liberty of texting Ruby the seat location.

When we find Yang and Weiss, both of them are seated with two seats vacant between them. Yang has the aisle seat while Weiss is four seats into the row. I beckon Ruby in front of me, letting her go first so she can sit down with Weiss, then I follow behind and sit myself between the half-sisters.

While we wait for the final checks on the barrier to give the clear for the tournament to continue, I decide to lay my head on Yang's shoulder with the knowledge that it's very possible she could be in the next match, meaning I won't have her next to me for too long.

In the next ten minutes Port's voice comes through loud and clear throughout the entire colosseum to announce the next match. The sound of the display draws everyone's attention above the arena to see who will be the next two people to perform. There are several faces I get brief glimpses of, most being ones I know, and few being strangers to me since I've seen nearly everyone in the tournament on the fairgrounds or have been a spectator for their match. However, once the first combatant is selected, my hands ball into fists at the familiar face.

" _ **Our next match of the day is Mercury Black versus . . . "**_

Deep in the back of my mind I want it to be someone he has no chance of winning against. I don't want him to advance to the next round. Mainly because I don't want there to be a chance of Yang getting her hands on him. Yang can promise me all she wants that she won't resort to violence, but there are some things you can't chance and Yang's protective nature is one of them.

Yang is many things; a brute, a flirt, a party girl, a gal, a brawler, and a nosy older sister. There have been countless times where she's been increasingly inconsiderate to either myself, Weiss, or Ruby. There have been times where her inconsiderations have affected all three of us at the same time. However, hell will freeze over if Yang will sit idly by and let one of her teammates get hurt or get teased by anyone other than herself.

I can remember one time where Weiss was walking through the hallway carrying a small pile of textbooks. Yang was walking side by side with Weiss, making a point of hip bumping the heiress at any given time to try forcing Weiss to drop her books. Of course Yang knows how well Weiss is at balancing, so there's no real foul play there.

However, as Weiss approached a corner, Cardin appeared. Weiss was too busy scolding Yang to see him and because of that she bumped into Cardin. Weiss surprisingly didn't drop her books, but out of anger and stupidity of having Weiss bump into him, Cardin slammed his palm onto the top of Weiss' textbooks, forcing them out of her hand and onto the floor.

Before I could blink or Weiss could say something, Cardin was already flying into a wall from one of Yang's right crosses, followed by her kicking him to Weiss' fallen books and making them pick each one up while she continued to kick him in the side.

This was way back in our first semester at Beacon, meaning Weiss and Yang were far from being on good terms with each other. If anything it was tolerance that kept their relationship at its awkward level. Hell, even Yang and I were on worst terms than that because at the time I assumed she only wanted me for my body. To put a proper timeline on of how long ago it was, just three days after Ruby was placed into the infirmary thanks to the awkwards scene Yang saw between Ruby and Weiss.

Since then Yang and I have gone through a beautiful and memorable process of getting to where we are now. I love her as she is, and she loves me as I am. There's nothing else I want than to be in her arms. Yang's become the sunlight I've needed to bring me out of the shadows, and that's one of the reasons I don't want her to change who she is at all. Just like the sun, I don't see a dark side anywhere around her, and I won't be the one to cast a shadow over the beautiful rays she produces.

On the other hand, Yang's protective nature is possible the only thing about her character I can disagree with. Her desire to look after her teammates as a whole is not my issue. I applaud her for that, in fact. My issue is apparent when my desire to not follow the methods of the new White Fang conflicts with her desire to punch anybody and everybody who detests me simply for my heritage. I want to be treated as an equal, but what's the point if that equality is out of fear?

" _ **Oh-hoho! Yang Xiao Long!"**_

The moment I hear Yang is the other combatant I move to my feet with her to plant a kiss on her cheek, oblivious to the crowd around us for the time being.

"I don't need to tell you the obvious. Just win for the team . . . Okay?"

As expected, Yang reassures me that she'll only kick is ass, but I've come to know her better than she knows herself. Yang's emotions easily get the better of her when she fights. If she's angry, annoyed, or worried in a battle, although the latter emotion is rare, it's easy to read her emotions in a battle. She wears them on her sleeve at all times.

I won't be surprised if she tries to get in an extra punch or two. That's just who she is, and it's something I can't change about her. I can only ask her of so much, and while it's a simple request not to beat him over what happened at the fairgrounds,I'm sure somewhere in the back of Yang's mind are those few moments where I was vulnerable and weak. Those few moments where I needed to cling onto her and plead that she would never leave my side.

If something happens, I think it's safe to say that it'll be because of me that it happened. I've held in tears before, I've heard many hate speeches before. None of it is anything new to me, but for my friends and loved one to be used in an argument against my heritage . . . it was too much to handle.

As Yang disappears up the aisle, those insecurities begin to creep their ways back. Out of my peripheral vision, the hundreds of people out the corner of my eyes makes me wonder how many of them know I'm a Faunus. Rumors spread like wildfire, and they can be taken as truth even if they are false.

 _What if Yang ends up losing her reputation with The Pit because of me?_

That's just one of many worries that slowly root to my brain. Weiss has the most to lose by associating with me. A Schnee befriending a former Fang. There's nothing good that could come of that.

Nora, Ren, Jaune and Ruby don't have anything to lose. They're all friendly and would never associate with Faunus haters to begin with. Pyrrha on the other hand is a 50-50 situation. While she has no hate for the Faunus and would not support any form of discrimination, it's hard to believe that all of her sponsors share the same mindset and values as her. There's bound to be a few that will attempt to ruin her, and several more that will not want anything to do with her.

After some time I've realized that the only people who I'm truly a danger to in terms of reputation are Weiss and Yang. Yang because her only source of real income is The Pit. She needs it to help keep her weapon at its peak as well as keeping the constant supply of ammunition for her Ember Celica and Ruby's Crescent Rose.

"Blake? Are you alright?"

The sweet, innocent voice of none other than Ruby calls out to me. I tranced out while still glaring at the aisle as if Yang were still in view. It's no surprise that Ruby is trying to check up on me.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I lie. These thoughts have been eating away at me since yesterday. Well, they've always been a worry in my mind, but Mercury brought them back to the front of my mind full force.

"Well, how about you sit down then." Ruby recommends.

"Yeah. That's a good idea." I agree with her and move back into my seat. To my surprise, Weiss stands up and starts to shimmy by Ruby and I to take Yang's former seat to my left.

"Blake. If there's something wrong you need to tell us." Weiss says once she's comfortable. She places both of her hands on the armrest to lean closer to me. Ruby does the same, having the left earphone away from her ear so she can hear what's being said at the cost of mild headache spasms.

"I'm fine, Weiss. I promise." I lie again, wanting the issue to be dropped more than anything else.

"Okay . . . talk about it when you're ready?" Weiss asks, not buying into my lie for a moment.

"Yeah . . . that sounds like a nice idea." I agree with her. It's a little weird realizing how nice Weiss can be, but I'm sure she's always been kind hearted. That side of her has just been locked away thanks to the hate her father promotes. Even Winter's not as cold as I expected her to be . . . pun intended.

"There she is! Kick some butt, Sis!" Ruby jumps out of her seat with both arms raised, but soon sits back down with a hand on her forehead. I can't imagine how bad her hangover must be. It may not even be that bad, but the first one is always the worst.

"Show him what Beacon is made of, Yang." Weiss shows her support soon after.

I'm conflicted if I should be cheering her on or not. Of course I want to cheer on my partner and girlfriend, but would I be cheering her on to win, or for him to lose? Do I want to cheer in hopes that she'll knock him out, or get his aura at critical? Yang's a weapon in her own right. She's an untamable fire that I've grown to admire in all its destructive glory. But it's also a fire that I and only a small handful of people know how to control. But I said earlier that I don't want to control her, didn't I?

"Do your best Yang! Leave everything on the arena!"

As the center platform raises to isolate them on the octagon, the crowd's volume lowers in anticipation of the first match. Yang's in her traditional boxing stance while Mercury hasn't taken any stance to identify his style or intent just yet. As Port counts down the start of the match, both of them inch closer just a little bit, and once Port shouts 'begin' the two of them exchange a punch and a kick in a momentary test of power that neither one of them appear to have a clear advantage in.

Yang's strength is in getting close and pressuring her opponent. She'll take a hit, then dish one out without a second thought. That's her style, but Mercury seems to have kicks that could rival Yang's punches and on top of that, his kicks definitely outrange any punch Yang can throw. I won't be surprised if Yang has to rely on her Ember Celica to whittle him down a bit before she tries to go in for the kill, but then again, Yang is too stubborn to think like that. She wants to be in his face and unrelenting in her assault.

As the fight commences I can see Yang's attempts at smothering him; going in at any opportunity to stay in his face and throw a flurry of punches while not giving up enough space for him to throw a proper kick. On the downside, that means Yang can't wind up properly for her own punches. It's not until I see Mercury break away from Yang's spacing that I begin to worry.

From his boot he starts shooting out massive amounts of odd projectiles that look like a mix of compressed air or some sort of meets his barrage with her Ember Celica, creating a small amount of debris between them. What I notice that's odd are the shards that miss Yang don't just go straight into the barrier to be destroyed. Instead they all begin to circle around the arena, gathering up into a large amount that seems to make the platform look like the base of a snow globe.

Eventually Yang adjusts her targeting and aims at Mercury's feet, causing an explosion and debris to mark its aftermath. The explosion forces the barrage to stop while she reloads and fires at him again. After a couple more shots, Mercury comes out of the debris but Yang offers no reaction. I'm assuming she has no line of sight on him thanks to the smoke.

It's easy to notice that one of his boots are disabled, especially when he decides to go underneath the stage and use the recoil of his boot to push himself to the other side from underneath. When he emerges on the other side he's able to blindside Yang, sending her rolling forward until she's able to slow herself down and recover on one knee.

Yang quickly looks towards the screen, possibly to see how he managed to sneak up behind her with makes me snicker a little bit. Of course she'd be more curious on how he pulled off the disappearing act instead of keeping the pressure on him to win the fight. Her priorities are all out of whack at times.

It appears there's a small amount of banter going on between the two of them, but Mercury's the first to make a move with a short hop into the air. Just high enough to properly aim a shot at Yang that the brawler doesn't even move away from. To my surprise, the shot lands at Yang's feet with a small puff of smoke that's of no real danger. It's not until after that I see what the purpose of that shot was for.

All of the projectiles that have been spiraling around the arena begin to curve in, lessening their revolution radius and aiming themselves all for Yang. She notices the incoming barrage and starts to blast away at as many as possible, but throughout her futile attempts to get rid of them all, my eyes immediately move up to the display to watch her aura level start to plummet tick by tick. The entire fight he's been placing those projectiles, and it seems that now is the big pay off point.

When I don't hear the buzzer go off after the barrage has ended, I let out a deep sigh of relief when I see that Yang's aura is left at twenty percent. The tough part of the match is over. Yang's as strong as she needs to be to end it and there's little to nothing anybody could do to stop her.

She emerges from the debris with her semblance showing in full. The flames of her aura surrounding her body dance around her figure while she dashes towards Mercury. The next flurry that follows are all of her punches peppering him with jabs, whittling him down for her big finish.

However, even after she throws her right cross, I can tell the match isn't over. It's when she closes the distance once more and delivers not one, but two body blows that I know it's done. The buzzer that rings in my ears soon after confirms it.

Her last punch seemed unnecessary and even had an odd flare of light that's left a dark spot in my vision from the brief flash. Of course she'd want to another punch in . . . that's no surprise at all.

" _ **And what a performance by Yang Xiao Long! This is- my word, cut the cameras!"**_

My eyes have been on Yang since the end of the fight. She's done a great job at holding her own. But Port's sudden change of tone brings my eyes up to the display to see a closeup of Mercury. He hasn't moved at all, and the blue/black of his outfit is being decorated by a spreading red.

The sight leaves me sick to my stomach, and immediately I move from my seat to get away from it all. I detest the sight of anyone that's been mortally wounded. It's a sick, guttural feeling that can only get worse if the scent is nearby as well. From the top of the stares I look back down at the arena. The platform has been lowered and paramedics have all ran to the scene to make sure he's alright.

Yang's still standing by on the other side of the stage, appearing to be completely stunned at what has happened. I'm relieved to see her like that. At the very least it means that she didn't do it on purpose. That momentary relief disappears when I can see the paramedics arrive on scene and waste little time in covering him up to carry him away, leaving a puddle of blood that marks where he was lying lifeless.

 _This isn't what I wanted . . . I hope it's not what Yang wanted. I don't need someone else that I care for taking matters into their own hands . . . I don't want her to become like Adam._

Unsure of what to do, I do what I've always done in situations like these. I turn my back to the situation and run. Wherever I go, I need to get away from the arena, whether it's back at the dorm room, into the city, or even to the docks, I just need to get away and gather my thoughts. I know I'm going to need to talk to Yang about this, and I can't do that if my thoughts and judgement are clouded from past experiences. It won't be fair to her.

* * *

 _ **(Four Hours Later)**_

" . . . and that's what happened to him . . . and why I left. That's why I don't know how I'm supposed to talk to her about all of this."

"Blake, she's not taking it well herself. According to everyone, she's been completely silent since they got back to the dorm. After she spent over an hour in the shower."

"That's exactly why I don't know how I'm supposed to talk to her about this. I don't want to say something wrong. I don't want to assume she's anything like Adam. I don't want her to think I'm scared of her . . . because I'm not. I'm more scared of what she may become because of me."

"Because of you? Blake, she's a better person thanks to you. She's improved in her classes, appears much happier than I can recall from first semester. She practically wants to show off for you now so she does way better in spars. Yang's kicked it up to a new gear, and that's simply because of her relationship with you."

"You don't know what it's like." I stare absently ahead of me, gazing out towards the setting sun over the horizon. The way the light dances off of the waves of the distant and vast ocean gives me somewhat of a tranquil feeling. If only these docks weren't constantly being occupied by loud sailors. I'm seated at the very edge of a vacant boardwalk. The person I'm speaking to is behind me and off to my right.

"What 'what' is like?"

"Being . . . being me." I take a deep breath through my nose and exhale.

"I don't. I'll never know, but that doesn't mean I won't be here. Look, I know it's a lot to take in . . . honestly, I'm having a bit of trouble understanding what happened in Pyrrha's match too . . . but I can't just interrogate her, right? She's been a bit cryptic with it all, but I know she means well. The important part is being there during the tough times. Yang's always been there for you, and you've been there for her plenty, I'm sure. Now's when she honestly needs you the most. Even if you tell her you don't want to talk . . . maybe just seeing you will bring her spirits up. She'll know you don't hate her at least."

After the incident in the colosseum, I made my way down to Vale to get some fresh air. During my walk I found an entire block being cut off by VPD cars and beyond the cars I could see a large circle of people gathering to what may be a fight. Off to the side of the crowd I could see several people already being tended to by medics, leading me to believe whoever is fighting is on a warpath. I would expect the VPD to have stopped the fight, but on a nearby house I spot a familiar uniform and white hair that gives me a hint who is the person within the crowd fighting, and the small amount of Atlesian Knights within the street makes me believe it's a controlled situation.

My walk eventually brought me to the store where Yang and I brought our new outfits for our date night. I can easily remember the breeze from riding on her motorcycle and the beautiful view of the waterfront. I still say that view was a dream, but a lot of the things that happened that night felt like they belonged in a dream.

And now I've ended up at the docks. The same docks I met Sun at. Jaune happened to stumble by and notice me. He was nearby after doing some shopping, trying to find a small gift for Pyrrha. According to him, Weiss gave some warm and welcoming advice that gave him the confidence to find something from the heart without worrying about how cheap it may be.

"Maybe . . ."

"Well, answering your scroll this time around would help. It's been going off non-stop." Jaune lets off a nervous chuckle while he points to the face up screen on my lap.

I look to my right to be met with the smiling face of a beckoning friend. When I reach for it, I can see the person calling is Weiss, and when I answer my scroll for the first time in four hours, I'm met with a greeting only the Ice Queen is capable of.

"Blake! Where are you!? I've been out here looking for you for four hours!"

 _Dejavu . . ._

"I'm uh . . ." I turn my head to Jaune who nods for me to continue, ". . . I'm at the docks . . . with Jaune."

"I'm on my way. You had all of us worried sick. This whole thing has Yang shaken up, then you disappear, and now Pyrrha's missing too!"

"What? What do you mean she's missing?" I ask and look to my right again to see that Jaune is already on his feet. I reach out to an outstretched hand to get to my feet as well so the two of us can begin walking.

"I don't know. She's been missing for two hours." Weiss explains, but that short time frame lessens my worrying a bit.

"Only two?"

"Her scroll is missing too which means she must have it. She hasn't answered a single call from anybody."

 _What's going on here?_

"Weiss, we'll meet you at the docking station. Ten minutes at most." Jaune declares. The change in his tone to something so serious at the mere mention of something _possibly_ being wrong with Pyrrha makes me start to see him in a slightly new light. Jaune's not as strong as Yang, but he's certainly more protective than Yang. I guess I can start to see why Pyrrha's so head over heels for him. It's probably the same as how Weiss is with Ruby. Everyone knows the Ice Queen, but only few people know about the Nice Queen.

"Hope you can run Jaune." I state, then place my scroll into my pocket.

"I trained with Pyrrha. She had me running laps before she'd even spar with me." He counters and breaks into a sprint that I waste no time in matching.

 _How much more can go wrong in one day?_


	40. A Secret

_Yeah, yeah, I'm alive . . ._

 _New job schedule has me a little bit loopy. Now I'm a weekday worker with weekends off, but for a time I had to still work weekends (Yes, 7 days) so they can find someone to take my spot. Someone told me not to disappear now that things are picking up . . . Gonna be seeing if he rubs it in in the reviews . . . I'll bite your ear off if you do. So, next chapter is here, ta-da._

 _Honestly, I had this chapter done for almost two weeks now, was just waiting for any messages and stuff to remind me ot post it. Luckily I got two messages today, one from one of my oldest critics who only reviewed like . . . twice or three times overall . . . I'm too lazy to count, but I'm sure I can do it on one hand._

 _And the other was a question I thought I answered about Blake's assortment of Bad Dragon Toys . . . Yes, I answered the question and gave explanations, sue me._

 _Anyway, here ya go!_

* * *

 _ **POV: PYRRHA NIKOS**_

 _ **Chapter 40 -**_

 _ **I Am Yours Until You Share Me.**_

 _ **What Am I?**_

"I know this is a lot to take in, Miss Nikos, but I assure you it's for the greater good."

"Listen to Oz, Pyrrha . . . this is bigger than you, bigger than all of us."

"I know this is difficult . . . but we know you're more than capable."

I stand in Professor Ozpin's office completely dumbstruck at the situation. The power I put on display is something I could never imagine of, or even dream of having. In truth I'm scared that it's in my possession. In front of me are three people I've slowly come to know fairly well, but now they're all shrouded in even more mystery.

"Professor Ozpin . . . Professor Goodwitch . . . Mr Branwen . . . Just how strong are the maidens?" I ask with eyes that plead for answers and knowledge.

"Any legends you've heard on how they could shake lands, bend mountains to their liking, turn nature into their ally . . . they're not far from the truth." Mr Branwen speaks up first.

"It's a long story, Ms Nikos," Professor Goodwitch soon adds, allowing Ozpin to take a sip from his mug before taking over.

"The four maidens are just as powerful as their legends says. You're the Fall Maiden now . . . guardian to The Gift of Choice." Ozpin sips from his mug again, leaving Qrow to take over with a slight slurring in his words.

"Long ago the four maidens used to live together in harmony." He begins. In his left hand I can see an upside down flask without a single drop of its contents spilling from it. ". . . But, everything changed when the-"

"Qrow . . . this is easily the worst time for you to be drunk." Goodwitch scolds him then walks towards one of the windows directly behind Ozpin's desk to take a look outside.

"What they're trying to say, Ms Nikos, is that you have been given an unprecedented amount of power. The fact that you are scared of what you possess is all the more reason you are suitable to have it. You're within solid walls with friends that care about you, and a family amongst your teammates and Beacon staff. Your newfound power is simply a muscle; it must be trained, strained, and used."

"It's not just about . . . 'this'. I extend my right arm as if I were to use my semblance, but instead I target the wooden borders of Professor Ozpin's desk, separating them from the centerpiece for a brief moment, then reassemble the borders to bring the table back to its original state. "I can't keep this secret from my team."

"I'm sure they'll be more than understanding on the matter." Goodwitch speaks up.

"That's the issue!" I cry out. I take a deep breath, calming myself down after the brief outburst to get my tone back under my control. "They've asked next-to-nothing, and the one question that was asked wasn't about what happened, it was about my well-being. It's not a matter of them asking too much, it's because they're asking too little that I can't stand hiding any of this from them. They're my team, my best friends, and most of all, they're my family. I left the dorm this afternoon and haven't answered my scroll, or been back for . . . " I take out my scroll, noting the amount if missed calls has gone into double digits at this point. I ignore the display and instead look at the time, then speak up again while placing the scroll back into my pocket. "Two and a half hours."

"Ms Nikos, how have you been able to avoid your entire team for over two hours? I'm sure they know all of your habits and hangouts." Ozpin asks with mild surprise.

"I've been in the Emerald Forest . . . I tried using . . . this . . . on Beowolves and Boarbatusks. It's such an alien feeling, but it's like an extension of my semblance. I understand how to use it . . . but I know I have so much more to learn. I wish my team could help me . . ."

"Oz, maybe we should fill them in . . . Shouldering this isn't easy . . . we don't want her to end up like Spring." Goodwitch turns towards Ozpin and steps next to the Beacon Headmaster.

"What . . . happened to the Spring Maiden?" I ask with worry.

"Just over a decade ago she vanished . . . She ran away of her own accord, disappearing from Mistral and abandoning her training. It's assumed that she left because of stress . . . Her whereabouts are unknown." As Ozpin explains, he rises out of his seat and paces around to the front of his desk. "If we were to inform your teammates of this . . . can you vouch for their silence?"

"Of course! Jaune, Nora and Ren would never tell something this important to anybody." I answer without hesitation.

"You're forgetting four more, Pyrrha." Qrow speaks up. "Oz said 'teammates' not just your team . . . Besides, you know they're not the type to stay quiet when they know you're hurt . . . you don't want to divide your 8-man squad. Do you?"

Just as I'm about to answer, a loud gasp comes from the elevator behind me. I turn around, expecting the door to open, but instead I notice the dial indicating what level the elevator is on has just began going down.

"Was someone in the elevator?" Goodwitch asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Impossible. The elevator's been up here since Qrow got here . . . That was shortly after Ms Nikos' arrival." Ozpin explains. But right after that statement, two pairs of eyes lock onto Qrow, leading me to look at the Drunken Huntsman myself.

"What?" He shrugs while bouncing his gaze between the two stern stares.

"Qrow, did you bring your protege along with you?" Ozpin asks with a raised brow.

". . . I told her she couldn't come into the office with me . . ."

"So she stayed in the elevator with your knowledge of it remaining on this floor." Ozpin sighs.

"She would've found most of this out eventually. I can't exactly go far without her tracking me down. She's pretty good at finding people." Qrow explains.

"I thought you said she was a fighter," Goodwitch interrupts, "not some . . . reconnaissance expert."

"I don't recall saying she was a 'fighter'. I said she enjoys fighting . . . If you want to categorize her, consider her a hunter. Fighting is her way of toying with her prey . . . and getting her rocks off."

"Inappropriate." Ozpin sighs again.

All of our eyes turn back to the elevator when we hear it reaching the top floor again. This time when it opens, Weiss' older sister is standing there with no sight of the faunus everyone assumed would still be there.

"So, you finally made it back . . . How's the mob?" Qrow chuckles at his own comment while Winter steps into the room.

"You're fighting feline made a point to take on anyone who wanted to chase me away . . . She had a little too much fun." Winter folds her arms and steps next to me. "Everyone in Vale is far less than satisfied for the time being . . . Extra defenses have been made around the city walls. And the ships are now patrolling further along the perimeter to hopefully give the civilians some sort of peace of mind."

"That should give them a little bit less to worry about . . . How did your date go, by the way? Was the bottle good?" Qrow seems to poke at something Winter was not expecting. Her facial expression changes from shock to anger within moments, and a glyph can be seen appearing between the elevator doors. The glyph lets out a small pulse that forces the doors apart, exposing the orange-haired faunus down on a knee with her cheek towards the now opened door.

"You told him? Why?" Winter's glyph shrinks and slides over one of Hitomi's wrists, yanking her out the elevator like a child struggling to keep up with the brisk pace of their parent. "Forget it, I don't have time to deal with your . . . antics."

"Well I rather be here . . . Blake's been missing for awhile and she's the only one that can cheer up Sunflower . . . That and I promised to help find Ms Redhead over here because everyone's worried sick with a _second_ person missing. Last thing I need is having to lie through my teeth more than once to people I actually like."

"I see . . . How are my sister and possible in-law doing?" Winter uncharacteristically bites on the casual conversation instead of focusing on talking about the patrols.

" _ **Worried**_ pretty much sums it up." She shrugs.

"And you asked Weiss to comb out your hair again, I see."

"I didn't."

"You did. Between you fighting all morning and your irreversible bedhead, it would have taken an experienced touch to get your hair straight and down once again."

"Ahem." Ozpin clears his throat to interrupt their conversation. "Ms Hitomi . . . could you be so inclined to inform everyone that Ms Nikos is accounted for? She'll be returning soon."

"Will do." She offers a wide grin and turns towards the elevator. "Coming, Snow Angel?"

"Don't call me that, Sas-"

"NO. Not in front of people." She says flatly after the initial shout to interrupt Winter.

Soon after, the two of them make their exit, starting a timer for myself now that my team will know I'm nearby.

"Once Qrow sobers up and stops attempting to turn the four maidens into a parody of a children's TV show, I'll send him to explain the situation . . . until then, just ask your team to be patient and everything will be explained before the day is done. After the tournament we'll begin your training, so for now enjoy the Vytal Festival to its fullest . . . and we'll handle the issues as they come one at a time." Ozpin smiles at me when he's done talking. From over his shoulder I can see Goodwitch cracking the slightest of smiles herself, seeming to be satisfied with the arrangement.

"Don't expect your training to be easy, Ms Nikos." Goodwitch speaks up when she's certain Ozpin is done. "You'll be getting trained by Ozpin himself . . . and that's not something you should take lightly."

"Glynda, please." Ozpin shakes his head, clearly not liking the praise from his colleague. "This is certainly a give and take scenario, Ms Nikos. Getting your teammates involved can be dangerous . . .but with the upcoming dangers, we may as well inform the ones that have proven to always be at your side and hope it remains that way for the future. Qrow, I'm sure your nieces will be very intrigued by the topic for sure . . . Didn't you used to tell them stories of the maidens when they were little girls?"

"A little bit here and there . . . but nothing that wasn't already said in the typical myths. I'll try to get everyone together so I only need to do the recap once. Worst that's gonna happen is everyone asking to see a few magic tricks now that they have a real sorceress around."

"I'd rather show them what I can do now than hide it any day." I conclude.

"Qrow-" Professor Ozpin begins to say, but Ruby's uncle raises his hand and nods.

"I know, Oz. I ain't taking an eye away after tonight."

With our conversation concluded, I walk to the elevator to call it back up to the uppermost floor. I look over my shoulder at Qrow and Professor Ozpin, a warm smile on the face of one, and a blank stare on the face of the other. As I enter the elevator and hit the button for the bottom floor, I look in their direction one last time, noting that right before the door seals completely, a frown appears over Professor Ozpin's face.

 _Tonight's going to be long . . . especially with Nora's piquing curiosity._

* * *

 _ **A Secret**_


	41. The Scary Four Words

_Boom! Next chapter. Was gonna be longer but I decided to cut it off where I did for dramatic effect. Hate me later._

 _Hellwyrm, Crozz, Okil, and Senor Lick-a-Tongue. Thanks for reviewing and checking in on me._  
 _Biggest thanks to Soullessheart1265. He's been checking on me a lot, but I've been a bit too busy to respond. Means a lot to get messages and feedback from everyone who reads my stories, and you five have been decently consistent in my notifications._

 _Enjoy!_

 _Also . . . I like the title because it has four words in it :D_  
 _Aren't I clever?_

 ** _POV: YANG XIAO LONG_**

 ** _Chapter 41 - The Scary Four Words_**

All I can see is his face.

The blood leaving his body and pooling around him while the paramedics sprinted towards the stage is an image I can hardly forget, but the most disturbing was the look on his face.

He didn't show resentment, didn't show fear, nothing that would be properly associated with someone bleeding out. The last thing I could make out before he finally fainted was a grin . . . a disturbing grin at that. Was he hallucinating and remembering some distant memory? Maybe there's been no competition in Haven and he was excited to find someone to match him. Regardless of what it was . . .

All I can see is his face.

I wish I could see Blake's instead. I've held everything in: tears, anger, worries. I haven't even tried giving an explanation. I can tell Ruby's worried about me, but I have no idea what to say. Weiss has been surprisingly talkative now that she got back. She left soon after we got to the dorm and established that Blake wasn't around or answering her scroll. I guess the fact that she's back by herself means that she didn't find her. Then again, I've been in the shower, sitting at the far end of the porcelain tub with hot, skin-tingling waters hitting my skin.

It's odd that sitting on the floor in a shower feels nicer than standing . . . it's like the increased travel time of each droplet changes the feel of the cascading waters entirely.

"She went back in . . . I don't know how long she'll be." I can faintly hear Ruby speaking.

"All we can do is leave her alone for now . . ." Weiss responds.

"Yeah, but-"

"Could you do that . . . not in front of me?"

 _I wonder what Ruby's doing now._

I can hear the knob of the bathroom door attempt to turn, but I know for sure that I locked it. I turn my head towards it, seeing it being jiggled in an attempt to force it open with little luck. Aside from door and the wall it's embedded into, I can't see much else of the bathroom thanks to the crimson shower curtains that have hundreds of tiny Beacon Academy emblems on it.

"Yang? Can you open this door already?" Weiss calls out. I haven't said a word since the match. That's not changing for Ice Queen.

"Sis? Please?" Ruby's whimpering plea hits my ears soon after. "At least let me see that . . . you haven't done anything crazy . . ."

I'm not suicidal, Rubes . . . But I look pretty red after being in this hot water for so long . . . and my fingers are pruning a bit.

I can hear a few more persistent turns of the doorknob, but eventually, I can hear the door pop open which does manage to startle me.

"Weiss . . . how do you know how to do that?" Ruby asks, letting me know it was Weiss that managed to open the door.

"Winter taught me. Should I ever be captured she said it may be a skill that could differentiate life and death."

I keep my head turned to the left so I can see the door that's now running parallel to myself and the tub. I expect to see Weiss' face appearing from around the corner at any moment, and of course, that's the case.

The heiress shuts the door behind her, leaving us to exchange brief glares before she decides to walk up to me and push the curtain aside just enough to see my reddened body.

"I know you like the water hot, Yang . . . but it's foggy enough in here to make my hair start to frizz." Weiss' comment is followed by her taking off her white bolero, leaving her with her usual, sleeveless dress. Her hair is already a mild mess, at least by her standards, making me wonder what she's been up to. "It's already close to four, Yang . . . How about we start organizing what we're going to get for dinner? It'll take most places over an hour to deliver anyway."

Instead of giving a nod or shake of my head, I look away from her, hoping that she understands I have no desire to talk.

"Yang, I know you're upset . . . but taking it out on me is hardly the way to go about it. There are certain things you don't do to certain people." Weiss says with annoyance, but she does keep her voice soft and relaxed at the same time. "It's one of the most disrespectful things you can do . . . turning away from someone speaking to you." Weiss warns. "Look, the room is warm and the blowdryer is out there . . . I'll comb your hair for you . . . we don't want this to ruin that mane you're so proud of, right?"

 _. . . I hate it when she's right._

I turn my head to look back at the blue-eyed heiress who cracks a smile at me. I give her a slow nod of my head and start moving to my feet with little to no rush. I turn the left knob first to lower the cold water, realizing that the cold water is completely off, then turn the right knob, surprising myself when it takes more than two twists of my wrists to turn off the hot water.

 _I think I may have used up all the hot water . . ._

I push the curtain aside so I can step out, but Weiss' extended arm stops me from doing so. In her hand is a towel that I carefully take to start drying off, and without a second gaze at me, she starts to make her way out of the bathroom.

"Your hair was covering you up when you were laying down . . . don't know what you're showing off now . . . and I don't want to."

I still can't understand why she doesn't like seeing other women naked . . . I wonder if she's classifying herself as Rubysexual and not a lesbian.

During Weiss' exit, I start to dry myself off, getting myself to a point where I'm not dripping water. A quick pulse of my aura will get me completely dry, but that would also leave my hair a frizzy mess and Weiss just said she'd comb it out for me.

Not wanting to walk into the carpeted room with my dripping mane, I carefully wrap my hair in an updo fashion, then cocoon it in the towel.

 _Rubes is gonna hit me with a puppy face . . . I already know it. I hope she's not gonna try prodding . . . I don't want to get angry at her._

I slowly start to push the door open, realizing just how hot and humid the shower made the bathroom when I can visibly see the fog dissipate into the bedroom from the slight crack in the door. A rush of cold air soon bursts into the bathroom, delaying me from opening the door any further until my body adjusts to the outside temperature

Finally, I swing the door open and get two immediate smiles from Weiss and Ruby who are sitting together on their new queen-sized bed. I step out of the bathroom and begin walking towards them, but not without glancing at the new bed for me and Blake.

 _What's the point of having all of that extra space if there's nobody to share it with?_

Blake's only been gone a few hours, but it feels like over a decade with what transpired earlier. I don't want her to think I did this on purpose. The last thing I want is for her to think that and who knows what could be going through her head? For all I know, she could see me as a mirroring image of her former partner.

"You know I hate it when you prance around naked, Yang." Weiss sighs, but her tone gives away that she's willing to accept it this time given the circumstances.

"They're as big as ever, Sis!" Ruby tries to make light of the situation by praising my superior cup size - at least among my team.

Not caring much at all, I sit myself down on the floor and turn around to place myself between Weiss' legs, giving her easy access to the towel covering my hair. Ruby, in her attempts to help cheer me up, hops off the bed and runs over to the fridge to get me a can of Monster along with one of her weapon catalogs that seem to be advertising some new buckshots on the front page. Something that may be perfect for Ember Celica.

"Yang," Weiss calls out to me while she begins to undo the towel, freeing my drenched mane from the cotton cocoon. "It's been a long day for you, believe me, I know. None of it was intentional and everything seems to have snowballed since that moment. Our team is officially out of the tournament . . . I spoke with Professor Ozpin and Ironwood, and both are convinced that you would never do something like that, but they do need to show some form of disciplinary measure regardless. Disqualifying us was that measure."

 _. . . So we're out of the tournament because of me . . . If I didn't feel like shit enough._

"Buuuuut?" I can feel the bed slightly shake behind me, possibly from Ruby giving Weiss a playful bump. At the same time, I flinch, fighting off my natural reflexes to throw a punch when a comb pushes into my wet, golden locks.

"But, there are some good things that will be happening starting tomorrow," Weiss adds, setting up whatever she wants to say like some spokesman on TV.

"Tell her already, Weiss!" Ruby begins to pout.

I can feel Weiss' bare feet pressing against my sides, then carefully moving towards my lower back so the balls of her feet can lightly apply pressure, forcing me to lean forward while she runs the comb all the way down to assert through any tangling. It's rare for me to even let Ruby brush my hair, but Weiss seems to know exactly what she's doing, although I'm wondering how she's getting through wet hair like butter.

"First off, I found Blake."

That sentence alone makes me turn my head slightly. If not for the comb, I would have spun around to hurry Weiss up. Out the corner of my eye, I can make out her comb and a few specs of red at the end that I quickly realize is dust. She's probably using her semblance to ignite them bit by bit, just to keep the comb hot which will explain how she's tackling my hair with ease, as well as the fact that my hair is starting to feel lighter, meaning it's also being dried as she goes along.

"She was down by the docks, although it seems Jaune found her just before me. They were talking for quite a while. Jaune deserves a proper 'thank you', he was the one that convinced Blake to finally answer her scroll." Weiss pauses. I can feel her reaching into my hair and start to fight with a few strands that are possibly very well knotted.

"But wait, there's more!" Ruby comes into my field of view and lays her head on my lap with a smile. Just knowing that Blake is still around brings a smile to my lips, and the cheerful face of my Baby Sis makes it hard for me to not hold it for just a bit longer.

"Yes, there is. I took the liberty of paying for your trip with Blake. The ship leaves tomorrow morning about an hour before the first match of the day. Since the tournament will still be going on, there shouldn't be any excess amount of people on board."

". . . What trip?" I whisper, unsure of what Weiss is going on about.

"Your trip to-" Just as Weiss is about to answer, Ruby cuts in with overexcitement.

"Blake told Weiss about her going back to Menagerie and that you wanted to go with her because you love her and want to meet her parents and show that not all humans are bad and stuff, so Weiss went and paid for the trip so you two have tickets and the boat's leaving tomorrow so please have fun, I love you and I won't tell Dad!"

"In the meantime, Ruby and I will offer our support for Pyrrha in the finals, then we may go to Patch or Atlas for a few days. I doubt going to Menagerie would be a good idea for me . . . especially considering how many possible White Fangs could be there, active or former." Weiss speaks up after Ruby, letting out a hushed sigh after. "Anyway, Blake will be back soon . . . she went to eat and said she'll be in the room right after. She does want to have a private conversation with you, though."

With how upset Blake must be, a private conversation leaves me thinking of every possible bad scenario, each ending with similar results. In the back of my mind, I can practically hear the words "it's over between us" coming from her lips in a stern monotone like she's practiced that phrase for hours over and over again. It's not until pale digits wave in front of my blank gaze that I snap back to reality to meet the worried silver-eyed stare of my Baby Sis.

"Yang?" The Crimsoness brushes my bangs out of the way to get a couple of stray strands out of my line of sight. "What's wrong?"

"Ruby, if you did something that made me really upset and you heard Blake tell you that I said "we need to talk" wouldn't you be worried?" Weiss explains, and Ruby's expression changes from worrying about me to worrying for me.

"But . . . Blake wouldn't . . ."

"No, she wouldn't and she isn't. However, it is a proper worry for Yang to have." Weiss counters.

This entire time, Weiss has been combing out my hair to the point that I barely feel the brush within my locks anymore. Eventually, her feet stop pushing against my lower back and light taps to my sides beckon me to stand up.

It takes me a few shakes of my leg to get Ruby away from my lap so I can stand, but when I do, Ruby's jaw drops for some reason.

"I knew your hair was long, Yang . . . but that's . . . insane!" Ruby shouts.

"Impressive to say the least." Weiss admits.

I look over my shoulder, then down my leg to see what they're both talking about. With my hair completely straightened, it just barely reaches my knee, although it's far from being as poofy as it normally is. I almost want to make a Rapunzel joke.

"So, how do you like it, Yang? I can leave it down, do a ponytail possibly . . . I'd be willing to curl it, but that would take way too long with the amount of hair you have."

As Weiss goes down the list of what she can do to my hair, she gives me a small mirror so I can glance at the job she's done. I pull my hair over my shoulder to get a better look at it, baffled at how straight, silky and organized it looks after such a short time.

I do find it odd that out of every portion of my hair that's been combed, Weiss decided to leave my cowlick alone. I guess she sees it as somewhat of a trademark of mine, but the few strands of hair near the center of my head stand high and proud like a hovering question mark above me.

"Maybe a ponytail . . . later." I answer. I use the mirror to gaze over my shoulder at a seated Weiss who nods her head and smiles.

"Anytime."

A silence falls over the three of us, but not long after someone knocks at the door. Weiss calls out that she'll answer it, leaving Ruby and I exchanging brief stares, both of us having the same guess to who it may be.

I watch as Weiss cracks the door just barely and peeks her head out of the room to talk to whoever is there. It's a brief conversation that takes about thirty seconds, but the moment Weiss is done she calls Ruby to the door as well.

"Come on, Dolt." I can hear Weiss say to my Sis before the two of them walk out of the room but leave the door slightly cracked open. I guess it wasn't Blake, but now I'm curious where the two of them are going.

Unsure of when they'll be back, I decided to walk over to the door to shut it since I have no plans of going anywhere for the rest of the night. When I'm close enough, I press four fingers to the upper edge of the door to give it a gentle push, but before it can close it bounces back at me.

 _Maybe the rug's blocking it?_

I dig my fingers around the side of the door so I can pull it wide open. I keep my gaze low, checking what could be obstructing it, and much to my surprise I see a foot. Black shoes with long purple stockings that slowly fade to black while I trace them up the curvy figure. I'm 99.9 percent certain who it is, but my gaze keeps rising. I just want to look into her eyes once; that'll make all of my troubles go away.

When my eyes get to her chin, I freeze. I can only imagine how much regret and sadness could be in her eyes after everything. After what I did, I dreaded meeting Blake's beautiful amber eyes. Yet the longer I didn't have her by my side, the less I cared and just wanted to see her. Now that she's right in front of me, all of my earlier nerves come right back.

"Yang."

I wince at how she whispers my name, and flinch when her gentle fingers touch my jawline. She traces her fingers to my chin, then lifts my head until I re-center my eyes to meet her gaze. She has a soft smirk when I look at her, but it slowly changes to a frown the longer we exchange stares. Eventually, her smile completely disappears and she lowers her head.

". . . We need to talk."


	42. The Lie

_Here's the next chapter, do enjoy. Did this chapter slightly different with the chapter starting in the present, then ending in a flashback. I think it came out pretty well. Let me know if it was a hit or miss!_

* * *

 ** _POV: WEISS SCHNEE_**

 _ **Chapter 42 - The Lie**_

"She should be coming out soon. I'll tell her the news while I'm combing her hair." I tell the silver-eyed crimsonette to my right.

The two of us are seated on our new queen-sized bed, enjoying the extra pace with each other. Knowing Yang will be coming out soon, we decide to sit at the edge and settle for leaning against each other for the modest body contact that still manages to make my heart pound. Ruby hasn't had the best time getting through to Yang, and it's clear as day that it's taken a slight effect on her. She's been less peppy and obnoxious than normal, and was hesitant to sit with me when i first got back. With the good news I just gave, she's starting to return to her normal, dolty self.

"I'm glad you found her. Yang'll be so happy to hear the news!"

"Yeah." I respond with a slight nod of my head. There's a worry deep in the back of my head, but it's something I don't want to tell Ruby about. It's better kept to myself for now. I can already tell Ruby noticed something is wrong just by my one-word answer. Thankfully, the bathroom's doorknob is turned, drawing two sets of eyes towards it.

As the door to the bathroom swings open, a naked blonde stands in the doorway with a bland look on her face. Yang hasn't been the same since that match, but thankfully I was able to find Blake. I can't help but sigh as Yang steps out of the bathroom, the towel I expected her to cover herself with is instead wrapped around her hair to keep the massive mane from dripping all over the floor. It's been an exhausting day, and while I don't have the energy to argue with Yang to put some clothes on, I still plan on letting her hear my disapproval.

"You know I hate it when you prance around naked, Yang."

"They're as big as ever, Sis!" Ruby comments on her sister's bust size without shame.

 _. . . Why do I feel like a washing board now?_

Without sparing us any words, Yang makes her way straight towards the two of us after glancing at her new, empty bed. As Yang nears, Ruby decides to run to the fridge and get her sister something to drink which I think is a great idea. I can still see a fog of humidity leaving the small bathroom and dissipating once it enters the bedroom. Yang most likely used up every ounce of hot water, and despite her having been under water this entire time, I doubt she's well hydrated from all that heat.

The blonde takes her seat on the floor, then turns around to scoot backwards until she's seated with her back at the edge of the mattress while also being between my legs to give me ample room to work on her hair. This will be my first time combing Yang's hair, but after the long, strenuous task of combing the hair of that annoying cheetah faunus, I've gotten much more confident at tackling a tough mane. Thankfully, Yang's hair is in a state that's easier to manager although the amount of hair she has is intimidating in its own right.

 _Combing it out straight may best. From there I can do it however she wants._

While I begin to undo the towel around Yang's hair Ruby makes her return with a Monster Energy in one hand, and a weapon magazine underneath her arm.

 _Not exactly something for hydration . . . but at least it's cold._

"Yang" I call out to get the blonde's attention while I try to formulate my next few sentences.

As I take away the towel, Yang cracks open the can with one hand, then starts flipping through the catalog in the other. In the meantime, Ruby's already back on the bed and crawling somewhere behind me, hopefully to get the comb I need to tackle Yang's hair. While Ruby's doing that, I suppose I should tell Yang the bad news first.

"It's been a long day for you, believe me, I know." _It's been a long day for me too._ "None of it was intentional and everything seems to have snowballed since that moment."

Off to my left I see Ruby's hand placing something down at my side. It's a small, metal comb with dust infused within the metal. Red dust to be more precise. With the use of my semblance, I form a red glyph that I dip the teeth of the comb into, causing a small reaction with the dust inside to hear the teeth drastically. I bring the comb to Yang's hair, carefully making my first attempt to comb out her wet locks. The first stroke of the comb moves through her hair like butter. My main focus is the right side of her mane, then I'll work towards the left.

"Our team is officially out of the tournament. I spoke with Professor Ozpin and Ironwood, and both are convinced that you would never do something like that, but they do need to show some form of disciplinary measure regardless. Disqualifying us was that measure."

For a moment there's a brief silence in the room. Ruby's the one to break that silence by first nudging me in my left side prior to seating herself there.

"Buuuuuut~? The redheaded sings after my delivery of bad news.

"But, there are some good things that will be happening starting tomorrow." I say while staring at my girlfriend.

 _Dolt, I'll tell her at my pace!_

"Tell her already, Weiss!" My Crimsonette pouts. The two of us exchange focused stares, expecting one of us to give in. Unfortunately, that person happens to be me when she pulls out her devious puppy stare.

I take a deep breath, then use my feet to gesture Yang to lean forward so I can get access to the full length of her blonde locks. As I comb through the wet mane, the heated teeth begin to show some results in terms of drying her hair at a normal, if not slightly sped up pace. If I make the comb any hotter there may be hair damage, and that's one of the last things I want . . . I value my life.

"First off, I found Blake." The moment I utter those words, Yang's head jerks slightly, but thankfully she keeps still thanks to the comb running through her hair. "She was down by the dicks, although it seems Jaune found her just before me. They were talking for quite a while. Jaune deserves a proper 'thank you', he was the one that convinced Blake to finally answer her scroll."

I pause to bring the comb back towards Yang's scalp, then flip the comb around to run the handle along the part in her hair, assuring all of her strands placed on the appropriate side of her head.

"But wait, there's more!" Ruby shouts again, this time making me roll my eyes. She sees my obvious annoyance and plants a quick peck on my cheek in apology. The crimson leader then crawls out of the bed so she can lay on the floor while using her sister's lap as a pillow.

"Yes, there is." I shake my head, acknowledging how much of a lovable pest she can be. "I took the liberty of paying for your trip with Blake. The ship leaves tomorrow morning about an hour before the first match of the day. Since the tournament will still be going on, there shouldn't be any excess amount of people on board.

"What trip?" Yang mutters.

 _Is she playing dumb or just doesn't remember?_

"Your trip to-" Just as I am about to finish my sentence, Ruby cuts in and takes over.

"Blake told Weiss about her going back to Menagerie and that you wanted to go with her because you love her and want to meet her parents and show them that now all humans are bad and stuff. So, Weiss went ahead and paid for the trip so you two have tickets and the boat's leaving tomorrow so please have fun. I love you and I won't tell Dad." Ruby says with stunning speed. Even more impressive is every word came out loud and clear, which makes it difficult for me to scold her about it later. Although her cutting me off yet again will make me delay her cuddles tonight . . . At least until she apologizes sincerely.

"In the meantime," I continue where Ruby left off, "Ruby and I will offer our support for Pyrrha in the finals, then we may go to Patch or Atlas for a few days. I doubt going to Menagerie would be a good idea for me. Especially considering how many possible White Fangs could be there, active or former. Anyway, Blake will be back soon. She went to eat and said she'll be in the room right after. She does want to have a private conversation with you, though." I warn.

"Yang? What's wrong?" Ruby's worrisome tone is something I expected. Yang very much should be worried about what I just said . . . She has no idea what I went through to try fixing things. Buying those tickets practically forced a hand that I hope plays well.

"Ruby, if you did something that made me really upset and you heard Blake tell you that I said 'we need to talk', wouldn't you be worried?" I explain to shed light on the situation.

"But . . . Blake wouldn't . . ."

I've heard Ruby say it countless times how much she admires Blake. The other people that Yang has brought home were never ones that stayed or held a good relationship with the blond's younger sister. Blake's been a good influence on Yang and has been a second older sister for Ruby . . . at times an encouraging older sister for me as well with how she's helped Ruby and I get our alone time in the past.

"No, she wouldn't and she _**isn't**_. However, it is a proper worry for Yang to have."

 _Why did I just say that? . . . It isn't a full on lie, but I'm realizing how hard it may be to take a secret to the grave._

* * *

 _ **(AN HOUR EARLIER)**_

It's been a very long day to say the least. Now that I finally have the chance to sit down, the pain in my calves and ankles begin making itself known. Finding Blake took far longer than I anticipated, but I'm glad she's safe. The two of us are on one side of the ship while Jaune has taken to the other side to call Ren and Nora to find out as much as he can about Pyrrha's absence. In the meantime, I should probably try asking Blake what's on her mind, but I don't want to push too far into her private life at the same time. It's not like her to disappear like this. It's only happened once before, but I think that time was much more worrisome.

"Weiss?"

My head immediately turns to the seated Faunus next to me. Her elbows are resting in her lap, her head is lowered, forcing the rest of her body into a natural slouch, and her fingers are interlaced.

"Yes?"

"Remember at the Coliseum . . . you said you'd be willing to listen when I'm ready to talk? I'm ready."

I take a glance towards Jaune to verify that he's still on his scroll. Satisfied that he may be on it for the entire ride to Beacon, I turn myself on the bench to face Blake. The amber-eyed brunette takes a long, deep breath while she prepares herself to open up on what must be a very sensitive topic.

"I'm scared. Petrified may be a better word. All of this is too familiar and I'm hoping that it truly was a complete accident." As Blake speaks she lifts her feet onto her seat and hugs her knees to her chest.

"I don't think Yang would be acting the way she is if it was an accident." I place my right hand on Blake's back and offer a supportive rub in hopes of getting her worries to dissipate. "Yang told me one of your old . . . 'associates' . . . went through a metamorphosis and that became the final event that lead you to leave. She left it at that and told me that anything else on the matter I would need to hear from you."

"Metamorphosis is probably the best word for it too. He went from being someone I saw as righteous and passionate, but as time went on I started to see him for who he was. He wasn't fighting for the Faunus, he was fighting for himself and said it was for us. Not only that, but he was fighting his way, not The White Fang's way. We were peaceful protesters . . . but I'm sure you have long winded words about that." Blake doesn't even spare a glance in my direction while she talks. She's right about one thing, I definitely have choice words about The White Fang's 'peaceful protests'. However, I know now is not the right time to go into it.

"We have different opinions for sure." I opt to say, figuring it to be a could balance between the truth and not discouraging her from continuing.

"Well . . . slowly but surely Adam became less and less concerned about human life. Our last job had us in Forever Falls and he was ready to detonate an entire train carrying passengers and du-" Blake catches herself at the last second. It's not hard to figure out what she was about to say. I know the railroad in Forever Falls fairly well. I've had to study every trade and transport route of the Schnee Dust Company. There was one particular shipment that went through Forever Falls coming to Vale from Vacuo that never made it. A recently completed Spider Droid was on that shipment and later the remains of it were found. Whoever destroyed it had plenty of experience, and even more destructive power.

"I'm going to ask this next question as your friend, not as the Heiress of the Schnee dust company." I start and wait until I get a confirming nod from Blake so I can continue. "Is he strong enough to take down a Spider Droid?"

I can see a wince in Blake's face after she realizes I'm aware she may have been involved in one of many stolen shipment mysteries.

"He is."

 _Hm . . . That's disturbing, the shell was made of some of the most expensive material. Military grade without question._

"Anyway, back on topic. What does your former . . . associate have to do with Yang in any way?" My question makes Blake's ears go limp underneath her bow.

"I used to have . . . feelings for Adam. But after we acknowledge it, his changes began. I don't know if he was always that way, or if he felt he needed to prove just a little bit more, go that slightly extra mile, but he changed."

I look down at Blake's interlaced fingers. Her nails are digging into her skin hard enough for me to see faint traces of her aura stopping herself from drawing blood. I'm slowly starting to understand Blake's worries, but I doubt they're anything to worry about. Yang isn't that kind of person, at least from what I know.

"So, you're worried Yang is going through a similar change? Blake, Yang is not a-" I pause to choose my next word carefully. This is Blake's former faction I am talking about, and while it's blatantly clear I dislike the White Fang with a passion, I need to show her an unbiased perspective.

"Yang's not a person to disregard human or Faunus life. In fact, it's blatant that she supports the coexistence. What happened at the Coliseum was-"

"Was Yang taking an extra punch to make a statement. She didn't mean for that ending, but I know in the back of her mind she thought she needed to send a message to all the racists that condemn the faunus or human-faunus relations. That . . . jerk . . . almost died because of Yang's relationship with me."

 _So that's what this is about . . ._

As I'm about to speak up to assure Blake that she's wrong, a sniffle stops the words from coming out my mouth. Running down Blake's cheek is a tear, and the brunette gives a brief shake of her head to let her hair come over her shoulders to help cover up more of her face.

"Yang wants to come to Menagerie with me . . . to meet my family and to . . . subject herself by being a human among Faunus. After today, I don't think it's a good idea. I don't know how my family will react if they were watching the Festival. The people there may be scared of her, or worse, they'll praise her for what she did. I don't want her to think what she did was okay, but I also don't want her to feel condemned for it."

"Blake,"

I place an arm around Blake's back and make my attempt at pulling the worried Faunus tightly to my side. To my surprise she welcomes the gesture and places her face to my shoulder. Whatever I was about to say disappears from my mind, and my thoughts to offer reassurance are placed with a need to speak my mind.

"I don't know what Yang was thinking. Perhaps she was that disgusted at him for what he did to you. Perhaps he was taunting her during the match. But . . . none of that matters. Yang is torn because of her choice. It's clear that's not what she wanted, and even if the two of you weren't an item, I'm certain this may have been unavoidable. Yang accepts everyone for who they are, she likes people for their personalities . . . and sometimes their skills in bed."

My brief joke earns a small laugh from Blake who nods her head.

"What I'm trying to say is that Yang isn't out for blood, and this event may have opened her eyes on why she needs to restrain herself. You've seen something like this before . . . Yang hasn't until now. This event is the fork in the road, and I'm certain Yang will take the opposite path that _**he**_ took."

". . . I just think Yang may be better off without me in her life anymore. There's a ship leaving for Menagerie in the morning . . . I already bought a ticket while I was in Vale."

Blake keeps her face hidden against my white bolero. If she's planning on going to Menagerie . . . I can't let her go without Yang. They need to talk about their problems, and Blake needs to see that Yang isn't like her former associate in the White Fang.

With my mind made up, I take out my scroll and make quick work of ordering another ticket for the morning ship leaving for Menagerie.

After I buy the ticket I show Blake my scroll to display that I've sent it to Yang's scroll already. Through reluctance she agrees that this conversation never happened, and now I'm stuck with a secret I hope never sees the light of day.

The thought breaking up with Yang held some appeal in Blake's mind.


	43. The Gift of Choice

_I kind if like the title I put. Fits the theme well, and the Fall Maiden is the guardian of The Gift of Choice. Damn I'm clever.  
_

 _Enjoy the chapter, a review is always appreciated, and the bestter reviews I get, the faster the next chapter comes out. That's how it works!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **POV: CINDER FALL**_

 _ **Chapter 43 - The Gift of Choice**_

"Will he . . . be alright?"

"I don't know."

"I didn't even get to use my semblance. She was supposed to hit his leg . . . She . . ."

"I know."

"What can we do? We can't bring him to a hospital . . . His records. They're-"

"Emerald. Shut. Up."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Emerald, just keep an eye on everything on your end. I'll do what I can to keep Mercury in stable condition." Without anything else to say, I close my scroll and divert my attention back to the silent smartmouth.

Mercury's tough, but he's not tough enough to take an attack like that. With Neo, all of her injuries were to bone and flesh and some muscle injuries here and there. Mercury on the other hand is dealing with organ damage, something I'm poorly versed in treating with dust.

Mercury, unfortunately has been a little too high profile with some of his targets. While his face hasn't been seen well enough for a detailed description, his legs are the most distinct feature that have been identified. Bringing him into the hospital and risking him being identified and linked to several cases is not an option. Not this close to execution.

I stare at the four deep cuts on his stomach, amazed that a punch could apply something so . . . gruesome for a lack of better words. Mercury's always been someone to get in trouble with his mouth, but Yang Xiao Long appears to be someone more than willing to shut him up for good.

Mercury's death has been delayed for the time being. The use of dust to close the wounds on his back have helped prevent blood loss, and a careful done stitching has closed his large intestine and stomach to prevent further internal bleeding. The issue now is having him repeat his short gasps to avoid much of his innards moving around too much. The threading I used is weakly done out of fear of making the injury worse, but considering he could be six feet under, he's in good condition.

I took the liberty of removing his jacket and shirt to observe his injuries better. He had already fainted from blood loss, but thankfully Neo shares his blood type. I had her take out a unit from herself and leave it in the old warehouse near the shipyard in Vale. Currently that's where Mercury and I are hidden.

The only trace of Neo I've seen today has been her leaving the unit of blood, otherwise I haven't seen or heard from her at all. I sent her to tail the troublesome cheetah faunus that can identify Mercury and Emerald, but I take Neo's absence as an indication that her task hasn't been completed.

Her orders are simple this time: Dead or Alive

Something I can admire about Neo is her commitment to her kill. She'll wait as long as needed for the opening, and has rarely failed to deliver a silent killing blow. Although most of her targets aren't meant to be troublesome. I give the more capable fighters to Mercury and Emerald should a swift kill be unobtainable. As experienced as Neo is, she can be too confident in her own abilities.

"C-Cinder?" Emerald's voice calls from my scroll. She's already failed me twice, I'm sure she's aware on how thin the ice below her is right now.

"What is it?" I answer her with obvious impatience.

"Neo just showed up . . . She took your glove . . . and she wants me to help her with something . . ."

 _Neo's loyalty is hardly in question, but what could she need the glove for?_

"Follow her lead. She wouldn't go as far as to touch it without having a plan at the ready."

Without bothering to listen for Emerald's response, I hang up the scroll once more and take a seat on a nearby crate. There's nothing I can do for Mercury, not on my own at least.

I look at my hands, noting the traces of dried blood underneath my fingernails from attempting to bandage him properly. The first time I've dealt with something this bad, my thoughts were irrational and I put myself through unnecessary fatigue. This time I can say I know what I can and can't do, and I won't risk his life by experimenting with my limits.

I use my thumb-nail to dig underneath my other nails, cleaning them of the chalky, crimson residue. For the third time from me getting into the warehouse, my scroll goes off. I take out the small device with the expectation of seeing Emerald's name on the display. Much to my surprise it's the complete opposite of who I was expecting. I answer the scroll immediately and hold the device to my ear, barely being quick enough to catch the first syllable being spoken.

"I saw what happened . . . How is he faring?" Salem's calm tone seeps into my ear, leaving me fishing for signs of her being upset through her monotone.

"He's alive, but there's little I can do for now. I'll try what I can and see about getting him out of Vale. He's no good to us in his current state." I answer, hiding any form of concern in my voice. Salem hates weakness, and moreso any display of uncontrolled emotion.

"There's one thing we do agree on. He's certainly of no use to us - to me - in his current state. But wasting precious time on a lame horse is hardly something I can agree with."

"It's not in my best interest either. Mercury's done his part well and has earned at least some effort on my behalf to keep him alive." I state, explaining my reasoning for "wasting" time on him. While most of it is a cover up, my argument is sound. Mercury earned his keep, at least that's how I see it.

"He has, that's without question. Grimm are slowly surrounding the outer walls. The airships are slowly expanding their perimeter to sate the people of Vale while trying to keep the Grimm in check. The only ship above the city is Ironwood's, and with all the other ships too far to offer immediate support, everything should be set into motion wonderfully."

As Salem speaks I nod my head. Thanks to Mercury we're another step closer, but as she continues to talk I slowly begin to see what she's getting at.

"But, what's the humane thing to do when dealing with a lame horse when time is of the essence? Do you leave it to perish slowly, or do you make it quick, painless? Have it taken care of before there's a blink to be made."

"Are you asking me to eliminate Mercury?" I ask, not wanting to play a game of metaphors.

"That would keep your progression at its peak, now wouldn't it?"

 _She's joking if she thinks I'd . . . She wouldn't ask me to do that, would she?_

"Just because he's injured doesn't mean he's useless. He's always been a faster healer, and he's more than capable of fighting through his injuries." I continue to explain Mercury's strong suits, refusing to believe that even for a second she'd have me kill someone whose proven their loyalty to me time and time again.

Make no mistake, there's no ounce of compassion I have for Mercury. For as long as I've known him, he's been loyal, dedicated, and does as he's told without question. Mercury will argue with Emerald to the end of days, but he's also the first person to jump to her aid without any form of hesitation.

"Cinder, I sense defiance. Why?"

"Not defiance, my Queen . . . Simply offering insight. Mercury's not someone that can be easily replaced." I refute with confidence. There are few that will follow orders like he will, and even fewer who come from a lineage of assassins.

"Everyone and everything is replaceable. Even you, my dear. If you know what's good for you, you will cease this game of words and put down your injured lapdog. I expect to hear your advancement on our plans within the next few hours."

And just like that, the signal is lost.

I know better than to challenge Salem's word. She likes things done immediately and without hesitation. I've always shown hesitation, and I doubt completing the task and showing up with a breathing Mercury will be liked in her eyes. She'll either execute me in front of him, or have him killed in front of me, then kill me for Emerald to see both of her long-time associates killed.

It's truly poetic, but predictable nonetheless. Torture isn't much of Salem's forte unless she's actively getting information out of someone. But enough about her, I'm now stuck with a very difficult choice in mind.

Option One is obvious. Shoot Mercury and tell Emerald that he couldn't pull through. She'll be depressed for a moment, but anger will surely take over and have her efforts raised to 110%.

Option Two is to keep him in a manageable state and as the chaos unfolds, find a way to sneak him out. Once the CCT is down, it's unlikely anybody will be able to trace him back to Haven, and the ones who have his description memorized will cease to care with the Grimm being a higher threat than ever. After everything is taken care of, I can send Mercury to somewhere he'll be safe. Atlas and Vacuo are the best bets. Possibly even Menagerie, although Adam has his sights on that island.

Option Three, and the most foolish of them all is to abandon everything. Take Mercury and Emerald into seclusion for the rest of our lives, or until the very unlikely scenario of Salem being defeated. With only half of the Maiden's power I wouldn't last long in the slightest.

Then of course, there's Option Four and probably the least humane thing to do for him. Simply leave him like he is and let destiny take its course. Mercury is strong and resilient, and if he were to survive, there's little doubt in my mind that he wouldn't find his way back to me with hate-filled eyes, and just like in Option One, two of us will be dead, and Emerald's future becomes a mystery. It's tough to find any winning hand

"Cinder Fall . . . since when have you taken what is 'humane' into account with your decisions?" I ask to myself. Humane isn't exactly a word I hold close to my heart. That word, down to its deepest depths is merely an illusion.

Deciding it's time to get some air, I give another brief check to Mercury, then make my way outside when I'm satisfied that he can go without constant supervision for a few minutes.

Once I step outside the warehouse, I'm amazed at how dark it is. It's certainly been a very long day for us, but now I'm left wondering how long Neo will take to take care of the Faunus, and more importantly, why did she needed my glove.

The final step of our plans are coming into fruition. It will only take another day to execute everything, but that's another reason why this moment is so crucial. Mercury won't be able to recover in a day, and securing him transport out of Vale will be time consuming since I'd need to have Adam take care of it.

But why am I so focused on getting Mercury to safety? Have I already convinced myself that disobedience is the best course of action? Is it worth losing my life to save the life of another?

Hardly.

My life is the most valuable to me. Everything else falls further down the list.

"That's right . . . my life is what values most. I won't let anything put my life in danger."

With my words spoken and my thoughts aligned, at least for this moment, I walk back into the warehouse. As I walk through the maze of boxes, I extend my left hand then pop the pouch of dust on my hip with my right hand, allowing me to conjure my bow along with a quiver of arrows over my shoulder.

"Perhaps it was just your destiny to die by my hand, Mercury. Your efforts will never be forgotten."

As I round another crate and see Mercury's still body on the table I left him at, I raise my bow and draw an arrow. The lightweight weapon shakes, but a slow exhale steadies my hand and arrow.

My mind draws a bullseye on the side of Mercury's head, along his temple. The beating in my heart increases rapidly, adrenaline courses through my veins, disrupting the steadiness in my hand.

I take another deep breath and begin to exhale slowly once more, this time assuring my heartbeat is calm and my hand is as steady as can be.

Certain my arrow will find it's mark, I let go of the bowstring and turn my head away.

"Goodbye, good friend."


	44. A Kiss Goodnight

**_Goodnight Sweet Prince._**

* * *

 _ **POV: PYRRHA NIKOS**_

 _ **Chapter 44 - A Kiss Goodnight**_

"And that just about sums everything up." I finalize with a long, hard gulp. It's been a long, tedious explanation with five listeners.

In front of me in a small semicircle are my three teammates along with the White Rose couple. Blake and Yang were supposed to be here as well, but from what Weiss told me, the two of them are having a very long and serious conversation on what happened during Yang's match with Mercury.

I fear Yang and I haven't had the greatest Vytal Festival this year, but I'm thankful that we're still alive and together considering what may loom over the horizon. Ren and Nora are seated on Nora's bed, both being side by side. Their bed is barely off to my left at around my 10 O'clock position.

Directly in front of me is Jaune who's leaning against one of the nightstands in our room. Since the moment I began speaking he's been quietly taking everything in with folded arms and semi-averting eyes. Off to my right at my 2 O'clock position are Ruby and Weiss, both appearing to be the most shocked based on my story.

Nora decides to be the first person to speak up. Her usual headphones are sitting around her neck, and the hyper hammer wielder is slightly bouncing in her seat, causing Ren to shift on the mattress against his will in order to keep balance.

"So, you . . . have two souls inside of you? _**AND**_ you're like . . . completely magical now?" To both questions I nod my head.

"Does that mean . . .you're like . . . Voldemor-"

"He who shall not be named." Ren interrupts with a swift palm going over Nora's mouth. "And a work of fiction isn't exactly a good comparison, but nice try, Nora."

"This week just hasn't been something for any of us to enjoy, huh?" Weiss is the next to speak up. When I turn to her direction, she's already risen to her feet with folded arms and a somewhat annoyed scowl suitable for the vintage Ice Queen. "This hasn't been a good week for any of us, huh?"

"Weiss . .. I know you're upset but this-" Ruby attempts to calm down her slightly riled girlfriend with little success.

" **THIS** , isn't about me being upset, Dolt. There's something going on . . . there's someone out there that wants to _**KILL**_ Pyrrha, and it's unacceptable that Ozpin would know who they are and not take any action!" Weiss shouts. Her normally pale complexion becomes even paler near her clenched knuckles, their texture altering to a blinding white.

"I know . . ." Ruby mutters, ". . . Remember when I was late to the dance? I bumped into her at the CCT . . ."

"We had this conversation with your uncle already, and regardless, this isn't about us. Pyrrha's life is in danger, and if these _**maidens**_ are as powerful as I'm being led to believe, then that means the entire city of Vale - no - all of _**Remnant**_ is in danger." Weiss stomps her foot, leaving me with an expectation for her heel to break should she do so again.

"Weiss," I call my friend's name in as soft a tone as I can. To my surprise, everyone's eyes immediately turn to me despite me keeping a very calm low volume. "I appreciate and understand your concern, but I also see Ozpin's point. If . . . what they say is true and this 'Cinder' is only one pawn out of an entire chess set . . . there isn't much that can be done. There could be more nearby, more in the shadows, or maybe she's trying to draw Ozpin, Ironwood, or even Ruby's uncle out into the open."

"So we're just supposed to sit back and _**NOT**_ bring this to people's attention? Everyone needs to be aware that there's danger nearby!" Weiss quickly counters with another valid point, but it's also another question I asked and had answered.

"If it's brought up to the people's attention . . . they may panic. Having so many people worried and panicking will only bring-"

"The Grimm." Ren answers with an audible sigh afterwards. "That's another advantage the enemy may have. I doubt the enemy would be cautious with their plans just because of collateral damage. It's an advantage all 'villains' have." Ren states with air quotes

"Villains may be the proper word." Weiss agrees.

"I didn't air quote that word because I'm unsure if it fits or not." Ren takes a deep breath and brushes his hair away from his eyes so he can look at everyone clearly. "In the end, both sides believe they are righteous. For all we know, decades from now when the debris settles, history may have us written as the villains."

Everyone in the room exchanges odd gazes. All except Nora who quietly places both of her hands on the far side of Ren's head to pull his head onto her chest.

The gesture is met with a loud exhale from Ren's nostrils, followed by the two of them adjusting so Ren can lay on his back with his head on Nora's lap, leaving the pink-clad hammer-wielder to run her fingers through his hair.

"Ren's had a long day." Nora says with her usual optimism, acting as if nothing happened. "So, back to the arguing!"

Realizing that all except for one person has spoken after this entire time, my eyes fall to Jaune in hopes that he'll say something. The quiet blond meets my gaze for a split second, then looks away with gritted teeth.

Ruby picks up on the slight tension between the two of us and calls out Jaune's name. As expected, she doesn't get much of a response either.

"If there are no more questions." I start, hoping that will possibly break Jaune's silence. "I think I'll take a small walk to clear my mind."

"Please answer your scroll this time around." Ren requests.

"I will." I answer with a smile.

As I exit the room and shut the door behind me, I look directly across the hall towards Team RWBY's room. I decide to give a light knock on the door, gentle enough to not interrupt a conversation, but loud enough to just barely be heard.

I can hear slight footsteps that grow louder with each mild thud until finally the door is cracked open and I'm met with Yang's lilac stare. The rest of her body is hidden behind the door, and her golden mane obstructs my view into the room through the vertical crack.

"Just . . . checking up on the two of you . . . It was a very long explanation and I know you two are dealing with your own issues but I figured I'd-"

"Yang, let her in." Blake calls out from a far corner of the dorm room.

"But I'm . . ." Yang tries to argue with a brief silence coming from both. ". . . sorry."

Yang steps back from the door to open it, revealing herself to be topless with only a pair of boyshorts on. With my entry into the room, the blond rushes for the bed, further revealing something special about her boyshorts that makes me giggle.

"What's so funny!?" Yang's sudden outburst catches me by surprise. I decide to close the door first before anybody else catches wind of the conversation.

At first glance I take a look out of Team RWBY's window, seeing the setting sun that marks the ending sunset that can't be more than two minutes away. After admiring the golden hue, I turn my attention back to Yang to answer her question.

"Well, it seems that Blake's laid her claim." I state with a growing smirk. "Her emblem's on your boyshorts and I believe I did make out the phrase "The Bellabooty."

"Maybe it's because they're hers?" Yang tries to argue, but I'm glad to be a few steps ahead of her.

"Or perhaps it was agreed that you'd wear those as an apology . . . as well as Blake labeling her possession."

As I keep talking, Yang walks over to a large, queen-sized bed that's replaced their usual bunk beds. Blake's already underneath the large quilt and Yang carefully lifts up just enough of the quilt to crawl underneath herself.

"I'd get up to say 'hi', but I'm a little less dressed than Yang . . . I just took a shower and asked her to warm me up." Blake responds so nonchalantly that I can't help but start to laugh.

"Well it's good to see you two are working things out. I'll see you both later tonight, I hope."

"Should we get Rubes and Ice Queen to fill us in, or do you want to do it later?" Blake asks during my short walk to the door.

"It's up to you. My scroll's on my hip." I emphasize by tapping my side where the small device is holstered.

As I leave the room I decide to take a walk to the courtyard for a bit of fresh air. As I walk down the long hallway, taking time to admire the red carpet I've walked over countless times during my attendance at Beacon.

Knowing that anything and everything I know could change any day makes me take on a whole new appreciation for what I have, not that I didn't already appreciate everything.

As I've said many times, I've been blessed with fame and wondrous abilities. Now to add to that I have wonderful, caring friends, and a person I can hold close to my heart without worrying that he's only after me for my achievements.

During the short walk, I find myself counting how many things I have to be thankful for, and the list is anything but small. I've worked hard to be where I am today, but I can't say it was all difficult or unpleasant. Being where I am now only makes me scared that I'll lose it.

Once I find myself out of the dorm, I can see the courtyard from where I'm standing. I remember Jaune and Ruby both telling me the story of how they first met, and Jaune's unfortunate nickname of Vomit Boy thanks to Yang. When I get within the circle and trace my steps around to the front of the large statue, I get a feel for where the event took place. It's been described so vividly to me that I can practically see it all unfolding right in front of me. One phrase specifically rings through my head despite it not being said in this exact spot.

" _ **Aren't you the guy that threw up on the ship?"**_

Thinking back to when everything was carefree and filled with positivity, I can't help but see our growth. But at the same time I can't help but see how deep into the shadows we've all been. Ever since I've been included in the secrets of The Maidens, I've been worried, scared, and hesitant. On top of that, Ren's words are now etched into the back of my head.

I know he was only being philosophical at best, but he isn't wrong at all. Both sides believe they are righteous and just in their actions. The true question is exactly what Ren mentioned: Do we truly know what side we're fighting for?

"Why is everything so confusing!?" I shout and close my eyes to give me a brief moment to relax my senses. At the same time I hear a voice graze my ear and instantly look over my shoulder to confirm my suspicion.

"Jaune?"

Approaching me is the blond leader of Team JNPR with his usual nervous smile. When he's close enough to reach an arm out, he pulls me in for a gentle hug and lets out an audible sigh of his own.

"I'm sorry. It's a lot to take in and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do." He starts to say and breaks the hug so he can look into my eyes. "You've helped me as a friend, a teammate, and now we're- I want to be there for you as much as I can. I just don't know where to start."

I can't help find anything else to do except hide my face against his neck. However, instead of his normal scent I catch a very delicate perfume that catches me off guard instead.

"Jaune? Why do you smell like expensive perfume?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Oh um . . . Weiss kind of hit me a couple of times to work me up to coming here . . . I guess some of her perfume got on me?"

"I didn't think Weiss was a perfume person." I state but shrug afterwards. "Smells very nice . . . probably something that hasn't even been released yet." I joke.

"Wouldn't surprise me."

As he speaks, he begins to walk down the nearest path that leads away from our dorm. Without thinking I begin to follow, but immediately question his choice in direction.

"Where are we going?"

"I was just gonna go for a walk . . . You don't _**have**_ to come." Jaune warns, his tone letting me know he's more concerned with me feeling forced to follow him, not that my company is unwanted.

"And why wouldn't I want to take a walk with you?" I ask with a raised eyebrow and growing smirk.

"I think we both have a lot on our minds . . . although you _**definitely**_ have way more being the Fall Maiden and all." He sighs. Jaune's always been an open book with certain things. He's very honest and wears his emotions on his sleeve.

"Jaune, I'm still Pyrrha . . . I'm still your girlfriend . . . the girl you love . . . at least, I hope you still do." My comment immediately grabs his attention. The blond leader stops mid-stride and I do the same.

"Nothing's going to change how I feel about you. About us. It's a lot to take in, but I'm more worried for your mental health. From what you told us . . . it sounds so inhumane, so unnatural. When you first released my aura there was a sense of . . . I don't know how to explain it. It felt like a part of me was being exposed, like you were seeing inside of me and bringing that out. It was-"

"Intimate?" I try my best at guessing a word that best describes his explanation. After a moment of thought, Jaune nods his head and sighs once more before he continues to walk.

"Yeah, and what you went through sounds more like you were being forced onto her . . . or the other way around." Jaune's sentence slows to a mutter and trails off into a few incoherent words after.

"It's not fun to describe." I decide to leave out every painful detail of having my mind and spirit merged with another. "But I'm still me."

"I didn't expect it to be."

For above five minutes, the two of us walk in silence. At this point, we're both approaching the border of Beacon and The Emerald Forest, and it's at this time that Jaune stops once again, but begins reaching into his pocket for something.

"What's that?" I finally ask when he pulls out a small black box and holds it out to me.

"Well . . . if my memory's right, tomorrow is an anniversary of ours." Jaune turns his head away, but I can already see a blush creeping across his face. "I should be giving this to you tomorrow, but after everything that's gone on . . . I think now's a better time."

Curiosity and excitement soon get the best of me. I quickly reach for the box and open it with a flick of my thumb along the underside of 's a small, black box fitting in the palm of my hand that's obviously housing some form of jewelry.

Inside it is a small golden square. It doesn't appear to be special in any way, and if I had to compare it to something, it could probably be described as a small, golden paperweight. When I reach inside to take it out, it suddenly fills with life and begins to expand in one direction.

The small golden square soon turns into a rectangle, then circles around itself to act more like a bracelet. Finally, the edges smoothen out and in its full form it's shown to actually be a brass bangle. With it being less compact, the bright hue it maintained fades to a shade that matches my weapons and armor perfectly. Understanding how the accessory works, I feel around to change it back into its compact cube-form, then hold it against my right forearm before attempting the transformation once more. As expected, it grips against my skin and makes itself to be a comfortable, yet snug fit. At the end of the day, it's nothing too fancy, it goes with my outfit, and I can always wear it. It's the perfect gift.

"Jaune . . . it's wonderful." I say while gazing at my new bangle for a couple more seconds, then change my attention to him.

"I'm glad you like it." Jaune reaches towards the back of his head with his right hand and begins to let out a nervous chuckle. I can only imagine how much thought he put into something that I would not only like, but could keep on me at all times as well as avoid it from being any sort of hindrance. With those things in mind, it must have greatly narrowed his selection. "No matter what happens . . .I'll help in anyway I can."

"I love you too, Jaune." I roll my eyes at his difficulty in saying the phrase. "You're already helping in every way possible."

For a moment there's a silence between the two of us, then Jaune steps in for another one of his warm embraces. I let out a content sigh and press my cheek to his sternum to listen to the steady, soothing pulse of his heart.

His right hand idly runs up and down my spine, and his left hand combs through my red locks. The way he holds me makes me feel safe from all the troubles of the world, despite knowing I am stronger than him in nearly every way.

"I'm gonna start heading back. Are you coming?" Jaune asks me in a near whisper.

"I think I'm going to stay out here for a few more minutes . . . Look at the stars." I state and gesture upwards towards the night sky.

Our walk has left us at a location that overlooks the Emerald Forest, and despite the threat of Grimm always looming nearby, I can't help but feel a form of peace when looking at nature at its finest.

"Alright . . . don't be gone too long, food should be ready soon."

"Give me less than an hour."

Satisfied with my answer, jaune releases our hug and takes the chance to plant a final kiss on my forehead before he starts to walk away. In the meantime, I decide to sit down in the grass and gaze at the beautiful dark blue sky and the forest over the horizon.

Way off in the distance I can see a few lights flashing, and after staring for a while I realize them to be some of the Atlesian airships that are patrolling the borders of Vale and Beacon. I begin watching the blinking lights of the patrolling ships, curious to see the paths they take while they're still visible under the shroud of the night sky.

I get so focused on the small lights that I fail to realize that I haven't blinked in a while and feel my eyes getting sore. I close my eyes and press my palms over them for a moment to give them a rest, and when I reopen them I feel a momentary dizzy spell hit me. It's nothing disorienting, but I figure that to be my cue to begin heading back. It's been a long day, and I have little doubt that the dizzy spell I just felt is my body telling me it needs rest.

However, just as I begin to stand up, I hear Jaune's voice and quickly turn to see my boyfriend walking towards me.

"I thought you went back to the room. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to do this-"

To my surprise, Jaune crouches at my side and without any warning presses his lips to mine. The blond that I've known to be hesitant and reserved in all matters of romance shows a new side to me that both catches me off guard and sends shivers down my spine.

I gently raise a hand and lightly press onto his shoulder in an attempt to get a breath, but I'm immediately countered and pushed onto my back. I've always expected our first kiss to be something I'll never forget, but Jaune's assertiveness and 'finesse' for a lack of a better word have my head spinning.

His lips are far softer than I ever thought they would be, and it's almost like his hands are smaller and more dexterous. A kiss under the stars has admittingly been a thought deep in the back of my mind, but I never thought the result would be this magical.

He's taken the time to move himself above me, somewhat straddling my form. I try to reach up to touch his cheek, but almost immediately his hands are at my wrists, pinning them down above my head.

Along my left wrist I feel a sort of fabric instead of flesh. It's almost silk like, but I know that Jaune's gloves are leather. The odd fabric has me curious but his kiss causes me to care less and less about it the longer he holds me in the intimate embrace.

"I love you Pyrrha." Jaune's whisper grazes my ear when he finally pulls away. His hands release my wrists, but while he shifts to stand, I don't hear his feet move at all, meaning he's still standing over me.

My eyes are still closed, and my breathing is ragged. My arms and legs are weak, my heart is pounding, and all I want is to look up into his soft blue eyes to see how well they glisten in the moonlight.

But when I open my eyes to look up at him, all I see is the palm of a white glove and a beetle-like Grimm staring me down.


	45. The Transfer

_Been a while, I know._

 _Well, here's another chapter, it's damn near 4AM, but I got it done. Criticism welcome.  
_

 _Sorry it took so long, Naga. But you're the one who got me wanting to start it up again._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 45 - The Transfer.**_

 _Gotta say, the blonde is pretty cute. I see why she likes him now._

"Neo, he's leaving . . . are we making our move now or what?"

I look to my right to see Emerald seated on a branch that splits in two. I'm roughly the same level up as she is, nearly an entire story off the ground and seated on a branch of my own, although I've chosen to straddle my seat instead of sit as properly as she is.

Every time I look at her, I can only describe her posture as a child waiting patiently on a swing set, ready to be sent flying towards the sky with a powerful push. In comparison, I'm a happy child on a seesaw

I shake my head at Emerald, knowing we'd need to wait just a little bit longer to make sure her boyfriend is far out of earshot.

"Why not? I get it, we drain her and take the maiden's power. Cinder can heal Mercury and the rest will all be for the relic, but we _**can't**_ save Mercury if we keep wasting all this time!" Emerald hisses, most of her voice being muffled by the wind blowing against the surrounding leaves.

 _She's not wrong, but we only get one shot at this._

I place both of my hands behind me onto the branch and use a strong push to propel myself upwards to land on my feet and nicely balanced on the branch. I make a short hop towards the Y-shaped split branch that Emerald is sitting on.

I surprise her by grasping one branch and swinging around it to make a perfect landing on her lap, straddling it while also making an awkward amount of eye contact with her on landing that makes her turn her head.

"Neo, you need to learn about personal space." Emerald scolds.

 _Psh, you know you want me._

I reach out for Emerald's cheek to turn her face back towards me. I then gesture over my shoulder with my thumb, followed by extending one finger emphasizing it with a single, firm shake.

"I know we only have one shot at this. But Mercury's-"

I quickly cut her off by placing one hand to her lips, then with my other I gesture towards the general direction of Vale. I then bring that same hand down and extend two fingers while offering a reassuring look.

"I know . . . he's not alone, Cinder's with him . . . but there's only so much she can do . . . She exhausted herself trying to help you." Emerald's not wrong. Cinder could be rapidly approaching her limit if she's constantly tending to him. She's resilient, but she can't keep up her concentration for as long as she would like.

I lean back, my center of gravity starting to shift until I'm at a level where I would completely fall over if there's nothing to keep my feet secured to a ledge. My fearless leaning catches Emerald off guard based on how she suddenly grips at my ankles with her forearms and applies a slightly painful amount of force, only loosening her grip when she experiences my light weight first-hand.

"What the hell are you doing, Neo?" Emerald questions in a hissed scream. Any louder and she knows that the redhead may hear us.

While hanging upside down, I see that she's completely lost in thought and a brief swing lets me see far enough behind me to notice that the blonde is long gone. I pull myself back up and make my way off of Emerald's lap to hop back to the branch I was at, then begin lowering between the trees in search of the quietest path down without causing any branches to crack or leaves to rustle.

"I'm doing it." Emerald says just before I get too far from her. She can only be referring to her semblance.

I make a quiet landing, watching as Emerald's illusion begins to take hold. I almost feel bad watching the events unfold.

"I thought you went back to the room. Is everything alright?" She's almost looking directly at me, but she then falls back as if being pinned by an invisible figure. I never knew Emerald's illusions were strong enough to make them feel real, or perhaps she's using extra aura to make it that way. Not wanting to make any massive amount of noise, and also take off the last bit of possible metal on my person, I decide to slip off my boots and leave them nearby. There shouldn't be much of a fight, but there's never any harm in taking a precautionary measure.

I have free reign to step in front of the redhead and begin to reach into my skirt to pull out Cinder's white glove. While I get the glove properly adjusted on my hand, I can feel that it's slightly loose since my hands are much smaller than the average person's. To keep the glove in place I'm forced to grip it around the base, halfway up my forearm with my left hand to keep the Grim-summoning emblem directly over my palm as needed.

The dimly lit area and the dancing shadows caused by the moonlight and the tree branches above dance over her body. Her half-lidded green eyes are beautiful to say the 're eyes that I can get lost into if I were to stare into them for too long. Thankfully, my heart and soul both belong to one person , and that mix of loyalty and admiration will never falter in the slightest.

After I give a look up to where Emerald is sitting and I nod my head, she returns the gesture. From my end I can only assume that the illusionary binding, cuddle or kiss, whatever it may be is finally broken based on the fact that she finally moves her arms and starts to prop herself up on her elbows after laying flat in the grass for the entire duration.

She begins to sit herself up, leaning towards my hand without being none the wiser to what's about to happen.

As I continue to line up the palm of my hand with her face, she still has this dazed look about her. In fact she hasn't even opened her eyes fully yet. The slight screeching of the grimm makes me wince, assuming that sound could possibly snap her out of the illusion. At first I see the sound has no effect, but within the time it takes the grim ot summon and launch its odd binding, I can see her eyes flutter and those beautiful green eyes widen in shock to what she sees. Unsure of what else to do, I quickly slam my bare foot on her chest while the beetle-grim launches the odd material onto her face to begin draining her aura and powers.

There's a loud, tortured scream that echoes within the forest, and on instinct I start to move to place my other hand over her lips, but the fear of her biting me stops me from attempting to silence her cries. Hopefully if there's anyone that hears herm they'll be too far off to make it in time to stop us before the transfer is complete.

From what Emerald told me from the first time she was in a Maiden Hunt, it's easier to whittle them down first, at the very least get their aura to an abysmal level before attempting to subdue them with the glove, or at least that's what Cinder had told her.

With the connection made and my attempt to pin her down successful, I feel a brief pulse shoot through my body. At first I think it to be nothing, but I can see my boots go flying, meaning that pulse was her semblance being used, and that feeling I had must have been her semblance interacting with the small amounts of metal in my body currently. To think that her semblance is strong enough to agitate such a low concentration is scary, or perhaps it's the power of the Maiden that makes her semblance that potent.

Her kicking and thrashing make it hard to keep myself properly postured. My body being as light as it is makes it near impossible to hold her down with my weight alone. I can feel her back lifting off of the ground, and with her core muscles alone she's able to almost push me off of her completely.

"Neo! Look out!"

Emerald's warning makes me look in her direction briefly, then up in the air to see glistening blue leaves all dancing and swaying while they gather in the breeze. It's a beautiful sight at first, but then I realize that those leaves are all frozen, and are being launched at me simultaneously after enough have gathered. It's an attack that's impossible to simply brush off, but if I make an attempt to dodge it, the binding will be severed and the two of us will be stuck battling a maiden, which I doubt I'm ready to do. Quick and quiet is my speciality, and Cinder has made little attempt at teaching me any other way, although I can easily hold my own in a fight.

The anticipated attack sends a rush of adrenaline through my body, and with a flash of white in my vision, I'm brought out of the Emerald Forest and into the confines of my mind where my three manifestations are all waiting with folded arms an an endless space of white.

" _You're just trying to kill us, aren't you?" Coco stomps her way to me and takes a firm hold of my throat. As always, she's angry and ready to fight anything that moves._

" _You're being reckless again, Neo . . . We're in this together." Strawberry, or Berry as I call her speaks up. She has a tone of disappointment like a scolding mother, and is already walking behind Coco to remove the hand brown-themed copy of me off of my throat._

" _You know we're ready to play too!" And finally, Vanilla. The playful version of me themed in all white skips between Coco and Berry, offering a reassuring smile._

The momentary talk takes a fraction of a second. The amount of time it takes me to blink is enough to bring me into the confines of my mind and provide an exit with their voices echoing in my head.

" _It's more beneficial if the two of us join you this time around."_ Strawberry's voice echoes, and the other manifestation that's assisting me is made known by the childish laughter.

With Strawberry's presence, my thoughts are flooded with different strategies to withstand the attack or possible ways to avoid it. Two tactics come into mind, both having their pros and cons. I could hold my ground, or I can retreat, but there's no room for anything else.

With my two choices for either fight or flight, I decide to commit to what I started. I'll hold my ground and hope my aura can fight away the barrage of attacks. If I'm stupid enough to let go of the one opportunity I have to claim the rest of the Maiden's powers that Cinder needs, then I'm useless. Both me and Emerald will have to fight for our lives or retreat after our features are identified. Either way, if we leave without the Maiden's power, we're put at a severe disadvantage.

I tense up my back, ready for the barrage that starts to pelt away at my aura. The sharp, shuriken-like leaves attack in an endless hail that leaves me falling to my knees on top of the redhead, doing all I can to hold on. The barrage is over almost as quickly as it had started, but a distinct detail catches my peripheral vision. Out the corner of my eye, the dancing shadows that were cascading her form and mine are gone. The bright moon light is shining down on the two of us, and the area around us without any form of obstruction.

Thinking back to where we're located, there are endless amounts of leaves, and that painful barrage could not have used even a fraction of the amount that is surrounding us. I can feel my heart drop at what may be coming, and out of fear alone I look over my shoulder to see that all the tree leaves that were above are now turned so the flat edges are pointed directly at me. Most of them are still attached to their branches, but are a shining blue to show that they've been frozen solid.

For a brief moment I can fear every hair on my body stand on end. I start to sit up, straightening my posture to see if there's anything that can be done. I could always kill her now, or at least Emerald can, but from what I've heard, if a Maiden is slain the power will simply transfer to the woman in their thoughts at the current time. Without a doubt it would be the lightning girl on her team, or perhaps one of the four from that all-girls team with the annoying little crimsonette that Cinder took an interest in a while back.

I begin to twist my body, searching the surroundings for anything that can be used to shield me, but instead of finding safety, I find a sharp pain that shoots through my back in several different areas. The adrenaline must have numbed me from the pain, but without a doubt there are bladed leaves in my back, and pretty deep at that.

Now that I'm actively aware of the injury, the warm trickling that's trailing down makes me wince and curse at myself. That first attack was able to take away almost all of my aura.

" _This isn't good . . . Neo, you need to let go!"_ Berry's echoing voice almost gives me a migraine.

 _I can't! This is the only chance we have!_

" _You don't have enough aura for me to poof us away! You gotta let go!"_ Vanilla whines, I can practically see her crying face as the thought of death crosses her thoughts.

 _If I can't finish this now then we're all dead anyway!_

During my internal monologue, I'm snapped back to the reality of the situation when the Maiden lets out a desperate scream that's not of pain or agony, but anger. I can see the muscles in her arms and neck tense, along with her veins popping out slightly. She's throwing whatever aura she has left into the oncoming barrage to force me off of her. Anybody who's smart or cautious would be careful what angle their attack is coming from in fear of hurting themselves, but either the desperation of the situation or a confidence that I have no intention of moving. Either way it's bad news for me.

I can feel my pupils shrink while the endless barrage is incoming. Just barely out the corner of my eye I can see something come flying towards me. I expect it to be another group of leaves based on the green color, but after a closer observation, I realize it's the sickle-chain portion of Emerald's weapon.

I watch as the weapon and chain swings around my torso, leaving me with the responsibility of grabbing onto the redhead to assure she stays close enough for the link to remain. I can feel the chain dig into my torso and scrape along some of the frozen leaves, forcing some out of my skin or making others dig in further.

It's not long before I'm rag-dolled through the air with Emerald on the other end of the chain pulling me out of harm's way as quickly as possible. As the two of us come tumbling towards Emerald, the green-haired girl wastes no time in pinning Pyrrha's arms down by stabbing the sharp sickle portion through her forearms.

While the final screams of the redhead are eardrum-pounding, it's effective in holding her still while the last bit of the transfer is complete. I can be a bit of a sadist myself, but I can't even take enjoyment out of her screams.

In the end she was a pawn that was promoted before she was ready to be on the front line. I think if we weren't enemies, her and I could get along . . . it's too bad. Her vivid green eyes start to dim, but still manage to twinkle with the swelling teardrops building. A final exhale is released, and the redhead faces the sky, accepting her end finally.

During her final moments of motion, Emerald pulls her weapon away and turns her back on the whole situation. I start to relax myself, at least until images and memories start to barrage my head. Emotions and happy times within Beacon Academy start to fill my mind.

I place my free hand on my forehead, trying to fight the oncoming migraine, but it's useless. I can only guess that these are her memories, something else I'll have to live with for the time being. Hopefully these are images that'll only happen until I adjust.

I look down at the lifeless corpse and sigh. The grimm has started to retract into the glove, giving me the ability to take off the garment and pocket it. I expected the flashes to be over with, but one more memory flashes through my mind, leaving a sick feeling in my stomach.

Images of Amber - the previous Fall Maiden - and the last things she saw.


End file.
